j  FT^- 

i 

OF  THL 
U  N  1  VER.5  ITY 
or  ILLINOIS 

1878 

V.I 


THE 

HISTORY  »  ENGLAND 

FROM 

The  Earliest  Times  to  the  Eeign  of  Queen  Victoria 

BY 

(3-TJizorr 

EEVISED  EDITION 
ILLUSTRATED 

NKW  YORK 

GATES     &     CO.     P  L  li  L  I  S  II  R  R  S 
1878 


Copyright  by 
GATES   &  CO. 
1878. 


V,  ( 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Chapter       I.  Ancient  Populations  of  Britain — Roman  Do- 
minion (55  B.C.  to  411  A.D.)   9 

II.  The  Rule  of  the  Saxons  to  the  Invasion  of 

the  Danes  (449  -832)   24 

III.  The  Danes. —Alfred  the  Great  (836— 901)  .  37 

IV.  The  Saxon  and  Danish   Kings.— The  Con- 

quest of  England  by  the  JSTormans  (901 — 

1066)   59 

**  V.  Establishment  of  the  Normans  in  England 

(1066—1087)   103 

**  VI.  The  Norman    Kings. — William    Rufus  — 

Henry  I.— Stephen  (1087— 1154)     .       .  117 

VII.  Henry  11.  (1154—1189)  l46 

VIII.  Richard  Coeur-de-Lion. —  John  Lackland. — 

Magna  Charta  (1189—1216)      .      .  .182 
IX.  King  and  Barons.— Henry  III.  (1216— 1272)  218 
X.  Malleus  Scotorum— Edward  I.  (1272--1307.) 

—Edward  II.  (1307—1327)   238 

XI.  The  Hundred   Years'  War. —Edward  III. 

(1327—1377)    -  285 
XII.  Bolingbroke.— Richard  II.  (1377—1398).— 

Henry  IV.  (1398—1413)    335 


PREFACE. 


"The  History  of  France,"  related  to  his  grand- 
children by  M.  GUIZOT,  is  now  universally  known.  It  has 
supplied  a  want  which  every  one  must  have  felt ;  it  has 
been  welcome  both  to  children  and  to  parents.  Our 
national  history  enjoyed  one  indisputable  privilege  :  it  had 
everywhere  the  right  to  the  first  place.  But  after  the  His- 
tory of  France,"  my  father  had  related  for  the  benefit  of  his 
grandchildren  the  ''History  of  England."  He  had  adopted 
a  plan  slightly  different  from  that  which  he  had  followed  in 
his  previous  narratives.  He  felt  that  in  this  case  the 
knowledge  which  would  enable  the  reader  to  supply  any 
hiatus  is  less  extended  ;  he  was,  in  consequence,  careful  to 
preserve  the  regular  and  chronological  sequence  of  events, 
I  have  collected  these  lessons  as  I  collected  those  of  '*  The 
History  of  France."  My  father  foresaw  that  he  would  not 
himself  make  use  of  the  notes  which  I  preserved.  He 
therefore  requested  me  to  edit  them,  and  he  took  a  pleasure 
in  re-perusing  my  work,  I  have  thus  written  this  History 
of  England,"  step  by  step,  as  he  related,  and  in  great  part 
revised  it ;  and  I  now  publish  it  in  accordance  with  his 
desire,  and,  in  the  hope  of  enabling  others  to  share  in 
the  useful  instruction  which  v/e  all  derived  from  it,  both 
parents  and  children.    The  French  have  often  been  charged 


8 


PREFACE. 


with  ignorance  of  the  history  of  foreign  nations.  It  is  time 
to  remove  that  reproach.  For  us  the  History  of  Eng- 
land "  is  important  and  interesting  above  all  others.  In 
peaceful  times  and  in  times  of  war  it  is  everywhere  con- 
nected with  our  own  by  a  national  bond,  which  all  the 
causes  of  dissension  have  not  been  able  to  destroy.  In 
studying  the  History  of  England  we  study  again  the  His- 
tory of  France ;  and  we  may  draw  from  it  useful  lessons 
for  the  service  and  the  welfare  of  that  country  whose  trials 
and  sorrows  have  rendered  her  a  thousand  times  dearer 
to  us. 

GUIZOT  DE  WITT. 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


CHAPTER  1. 

ANCIENT    POPULATIONS  OF  BRITAIN. — ROMAN  DOMIN- 
ION 55  B.C.  TO  411  A.D. 

THE  earliest  periods  of  English  History  are  ob- 
scure, and  even  the  origin  of  its  inhabitants  is 
still  a  subject  of  discussion.  The  first  authentic  in- 
formation which  we  possess  with  regard  to  them  is 
derived  from  their  conqueror.  Julius  CcTssar  remarked 
their  resemblance  to  the  Gauls,  and  modern  re- 
searches have  confirmed  his  testimony.  Every  thing 
seems  to  show  that  the  inhabitants  of  Britain  were  Celts,  or 
Gaels,  a  name  which  the  population  of  the  highlands  of 
Scotland  retain  to  this  day.  On  the  Southern  Coasts,  an 
invasion  of  Cimrys,  or  Belgians,  appears  to  have  mingled 
with  the  Celtic  population  and  to  have  brought  with  it 
some  elements  of  civilization.  Long  before  the  advent  of 
Coesar,  the  Phoenicians  and  Greeks  established  at  Marseilles, 
had  entered  into  relations  of  commerce  with  the  Scilly 
Isles,  which  they  called  the  Cassiteridcs,  and  also  with  the 
extremity  of  the  County  of  Cornwall,  where  the  tin-mines 
were  situated.  Pytheas,  who  lived  at  Marseilles  at  the 
commencement  of  the  Fourth  Century  B.C.,  has  related  his 


lO 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


[Chap.  L 


voyage  along  the  coast  of  Britain ;  but  it  is  with  the 
invasion  of  the  Romans  that  the  history  of  England  com- 
mences. It  is  here  that  we  penetrate  for  the  first  time 
into  those  islands  which,  though  separated  from  the  rest  of 
the  world,  sent  to  the  Gauls,  v/ho  were  struggling  for  their 
independence,  succor,  which  furnished  Caesar  with  a  pre- 
text for  the  attempt  to  conquer  them.  After  his  fourth 
campaign  in  Gaul,  about  the  year  55  B.C.,  the  great  Roman 
general  set  sail  on  the  26th  of  August  for  Britain.  He 
had  brought  with  him  the  infantry  of  two  legions, — about 
twelve  thousand  men,  and  he  disembarked  near  the  point 
where  the  town  of  Deal  is  now  situated.  The  Britons  had 
gathered  in  a  mass  upon  the  shore.  A  great  number  were 
on  horseback,  urging  their  horses  into  the  waves,  and 
insulting  and  defying  the  foreigners.  They  were  almost 
entirely  naked,  having  cast  off  the  clothing  of  skins  with 
which  they  were  ordinarily  covered,  in  order  to  prepare 
for  the  combat.  Their  war  chariots  were  driven  rapidly 
along  the  shore.  For  a  moment  the  Roman  soldiers  hesi- 
tated, troubled  by  the  unaccustomed  sight,  perhaps  from  a 
dread  of  offending  the  unknown  gods  of  people  celebrated 
among  their  Gaulish  brethren  for  the  devotion  with  which 
they  surrounded  the  Druidical  faith.  The  standard-bearer 
of  the  tenth  legion  was  the  first  to  precipitate  himself  into 
the  sea.  "Follow  me,  my  fellow-soldiers,''  said  he,  "unless 
you  will  give  up  your  eagle  to  the  enemy.  I  at  least  will 
do  my  duty  to  the  Republic  and  to  our  general.*'  His 
comrades  followed  his  example,  and  the  savage  inhabitants 
of  Britain  retired  in  disorder,  driven  back,  in  spite  of  their 
bravery,  after  a  short  engagement. 

On  the  morrow,  ambassadors  from  the  Britons  came  to 
solicit  peace.  At  the  first  rumor  of  the  projected  invasion 
they  had  sent  emissaries  into  Gaul  to  offer  their  submission 
to  the  Romans,  in  the  hope  of  turning  them  from  their 


CiiAP.  I.]         ANCIENT  POPULATIONS, 


II 


enterprise.  Caesar  had  listened  to  them  with  kindness  and 
had  had  them  conducted  by  his  own  envoy  Comius,  king 
of  the  Belgian  Atrebates ;  but  he  did  not  relinquish  his 
intentions,  and  the  Britons  in  their  irritation  had  put  the 
delegate  of  Caesar  in  irons.  Tliis  was  the  first  matter  with 
w^iich  the  conqueror  reproached  them,  at  the  same  time 
demanding  hostages  for  their  future  good  behavior. 
Some  hostages  were  immediately  given.  The  British 
chiefs  asked  for  time  to  send  others,  and  Caesar  entered 
into  separate  negotiations  with  the  chiefs  who  came  one 
after  the  other  to  treat  with  the  conqueror. 

During  these  negotiations  the  sea  rendered  aid  to  the 
Britons.  Great  part  of  the  Roman  fleet  was  destroyed. 
The  barbarians  perceived  their  advantage  and  were  dilatory 
in  sending  the  hostages.  Meanwhile  Caesar  had  promptly 
set  his  soldiers  to  the  task  of  repairing  the  vessels,  and 
making  requisitions  upon  the  Gauls  for  the  materials 
which  were  required.  The  vessels  were  beginning  to  be 
in  a  state  to  take  the  sea  when  the  seventh  legion,  detached 
on  a  foraging  expedition  in  the  country,  was  surprised 
in  the  only  field  of  grain  then  standing,  by  a  number  of 
Britons  who  were  lying  in  ambush  concealed  by  the  long 
stalks  of  the  corn.  Horsemen  and  war  chariots  issued 
forth  from  the  surrounding  forests.  The  Romans  ran  the 
risk  of  being  crushed,  when  Caesar  came  to  their  assistance 
with  the  remainder  of  his  forces,  and  defeated  the  barba- 
rians, who  sued  for  peace.  The  equinox  was  approaching. 
The  general  did  not  even  wait  for  the  hostages,  but  set 
sail  for  Gaul  in  the  middle  of  Septemiber,  sending  at  tlie 
same  time  news  to  Rome  which  induced  the  Senate  to 
decree  twenty  days  of  public  thanksgivings  to  the  Immor- 
tal Gods.  In  his  Couuncniaries,  however,  Caesar  modestly 
describes  this  first  campaign  in  Britain  as  a  reconnoitring  ex- 
pedition. He  cherished  the  design  of  returning  thither  later. 


12 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.         [Chap,  I. 


Accordingly  in  the  following  year  (54  B.C.),  Caesar 
embarked  at  the  same  point  upon  the  coast  of  Gaul,  in 
order  to  land  at  the  same  spot,  though  with  very  different 
forces.  He  carried  with  him  the  infantry  of  five  legions 
(about  thirty  thousand  men)  and  two  thousand  cavalry. 
Eight  hundred  transport  vessels  covered  the  sea. 

From  the  summits  of  their  cliffs  the  Britons  had  per- 
ceived this  formidable  expedition,  and  had  sought  refuge 
in  the  vast  forests  which  cover  their  shores.  Caesar 
marched  forward  to  drive  them  back  into  their  retreats, 
when  a  violent  tempest  destroyed  forty  of  his  ships  and 
drove  a  great  number  ashore.  The  first  care  of  the  con- 
queror was  to  protect  his  fleet  against  the  fury  of  the  sea 
and  the  hostility  of  the  islanders.  He  caused  all  his  ves- 
sels to  be  hauled  ashore,  in  order  to  surround  them  after- 
wards by  a  strong  intrenchment  His  largest  galleys  were 
diminutive  in  comparison  with  our  vessels  of  war.  His 
transport  ships  were  hardly  more  than  barges.  The 
Roman  soldiers  labored  without  intermission  ten  days 
and  ten  nights  before  they  had  rendered  their  fleet 
secure. 

They  then  resumed  their  march  against  the  Britons, 
whose  army  was  still  increasing.  All  the  chiefs  Iiad  united 
their  forces  under  the  orders  of  a  commander-in-chief, 
Cassivelanus,  king  of  the  Cassii,  renowned  for  his  bravery 
and  skill.  The  Britons  avoided  a  general  engagement. 
Assailing  the  Romans  incessantly  with  their  cavalry  and 
their  war-chariots,  which  they  conducted  with  the  ease  of 
habit  even  along  the  edge  of  precipices,  they  retired  again 
into  the  forests  from  the  moment  that  the  advantage  was 
no  longer  on  their  side.  But  this  barbarian  intrepidity 
was  not  accompanied  by  experience.  Caesar's  cavalry,  sup- 
ported by  three  legions,  having  scoured  the  country  in 
quest  of  forage,  the  enemy  had  remained  concealed  al] 


Chap,  L]        ANCIENT  POPULATIONS, 


day,  when  suddenly  they  issued  in  a  mass  from  the 
neighboring  forests  and  swept  down  upon  the  Romans  who 
were  scattered  about  the  country.  Ah'eady  the  Britons 
imagined  themselves  victors ;  but  the  well-disciplined 
Roman  detachments  formed  again  as  if  by  enchantment, 
the  horsemen  rallied,  and  the  Britons,  enclosed  in  a 
formidable  circle,  sustained  losses  so  great  that  on  the 
morrow  the  allies  of  Cassivelanus  nearly  all  deserted  him 
and  returned  into  their  territories,  leaving  him  to  face  the 
Romans  unsupported.  The  king  in  his  turn  fell  back  upon 
his  kingdom,  which  v/as  situated  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
Thames. 

In  their  pursuit  the  Romans  had  traversed  the  fertile 
country  which  nov/  forms  the  counties  of  Kent  and  Sur- 
rey, while  this  skirmishing  species  of  Vv^arfare  continued, 
often  with  results  favorable  to  the  Britons.  But  the  fatal 
vv^ant  of  union  common  to  barbarous  tribes  lent  aid  to  the 
Romans.  Cassivelanus  vv^as  detested  by  his  neighbors  the 
Trinobantes,  who  sent  ambassadors  to  Caesar,  asking  the 
restoration  of  their  king  Mandubratius,  a  fugitive  in  Gaul, 
where  he  had  implored  the  protection  of  the  Romans 
against  this  same  Cassivelanus,  who  had  conquered  and 
put  to  death  the  father  of  his  rival.  On  this  condition  the 
the  Trinobantes  offered  their  submission.  Some  other 
tribes  followed  their  example.  These  scceders  acquainted 
the  Romans  with  the  road  to  Cassivclanus's  capital  situated 
on  the  environs  of  the  spot  now  occupied  by  tlie  town  of 
St.  Alban's.  This  was  a  collection  of  huts  reminding  be- 
holders of  the  dvv^ellings  of  the  Gauls.  They  rested  on  a 
foundation  made  of  stones,  from  which  arose  the  walls 
composed  of  timber,  earth,  and  reeds,  and  surmounted  by 
a  conical  roof  which  served  at  once  to  admit  daylight  and 
to  allow  smoke  to  escape  through  a  hole  in  the  top.  Fens 
and  vv^oods  surrounded  by  a  ditch  and  earthworks  pro- 


14 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  I. 


tected  this  primitive  capital,  which  soon  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  Romans. 

Cassivelanus  had  only  one  hope  left.  He  had  given 
orders  to  the  four  chiefs  who  had  the  command  in  Kent 
to  attack  the  Roman  vessels.  They  obeyed,  but  the 
detachment  charged  with  the  protection  of  the  fleet  was  on 
its  guard.  The  Britons  were  repulsed.  Cassivelanus, 
beaten  and  discouraged,  humbled  himself  so  far  as  to  sue 
for  peace.  Nevertheless  when  Caesar  at  the  commence- 
ment of  September  retired  once  more  to  Gaul,  he  left  in 
Britain  neither  a  soldier  nor  a  fortress.  The  second  cam- 
paign, longer  and  more  fortunate  than  the  first,  had  not 
produced  any  greater  results. 

Ninety-six  years  elapsed  ;  the  Roman  Republic  had 
become  the  Roman  Empire ;  but  the  Britons  had  been 
troubled  by  no  new  invasion.  The  Belgian  population  of 
the  sea-coast  had  continued  to  cultivate  their  fields,  to 
which  they  already  knew  how  to  apply  marl  for  manure. 
They  had  woven  in  peace  their  long  brogues,  or  chequered 
breeches,  their  square  mantles,  and  their  tunics.  The 
Celts,  more  savage,  had  seen  their  flocks  multiply  around 
them.  Even  this,  the  only  kind  of  wealth  among  barba- 
rous tribes,  did  not  exist  in  the  northern  part  of  Britain. 
The  rude  inhabitants  of  Scotland  depended  only  on  the 
products  of  the  chase,  and  found  a  shelter  for  their  almost 
naked  state  in  the  hollow  of  rocks  or  in  the  obscurity  of 
caverns  ;  but  no  invader  had  come  to  trouble  their  wild 
liberty  up  to  the  day  when  the  Emperor  Claudius,  in  the 
year  45  of  the  Christian  Era,  conceived  the  project  of 
marching  in  the  footsteps  of  C^^esar  and  subduing  the  sav- 
age land  of  ]^n*itain.  One  of  the  most  experienced  of  his 
generals,  Aulus  Plautius,  sent  forward  with  a  force  of  fifty 
thousand  men,  obtained  at  first  some  successes,  notwith- 
standing the  resistance  of  the  chief  of  the  Sikircs,  Carac- 


Chap.  I.] 


ANCIENT  POPULATIONS, 


15 


tacus.  When  the  Emperor  arrived,  the  capital  of  this 
people  was  captured,  and  several  tribes  had  submitted 
almost  without  a  struggle.  Claudius  returned  to  Rome  to 
enjoy  there  the  honors  of  an  easy  triumph. 

Thirty  battles  fought  by  Aulus  Plautius  were  insufficient 
to  reduce  Caractacus.  Ostorius  Scapula  was  the  first  to 
succeed  in  establishing  on  the  Severn  a  line  of  forts  sepa- 
rating from  the  rest  of  the  island  the  country,  now  become 
Roman,  which  comprised  nearly  all  the  Southern  tribes. 
The  Britons,  who  appeared  to  be  subdued,  were  disarmed. 
But  a  new  insurrection  soon  broke  forth.  The  Iceni,  who 
occupied  the  country  now  known  as  the  counties  of  Nor- 
folk and  Suffolk,  were  the  first  to  rise.  The  Cangi  followed 
their  example  ;  and  in  order  to  reduce  them  the  Praetor 
was  compelled  to  pursue  them  as  far  as  to  within  one  day's 
march  of  the  sea  which  separates  England  from  Ireland. 
From  the  territory  of  the  Brigantes,  which  embraced  a 
portion  of  the  present  counties  of  Lancashire  and  York, 
Ostorius  hastened  to  invade  the  Silures,  who  inhabited  the 
southern  portion  of  Wales,  and  who  Vv^ere  always  the  most 
indomitable  opponents  of  a  foreign  domination.  Behold 
the  day  which  is  to  decide  the  fate  of  Britain  !"  exclaimed 
Caractacus  at  the  sight  of  the  Romans.  To-day  begins 
the  era  either  of  liberty  or  eternal  slavery.  Remember 
that  your  ancestors  were  able  to  drive  back  the  great 
Caesar,  and  to  save  their  liberty,  their  life,  and  their  hon- 
or !"  He  spoke  in  vain.  The  naked  breasts  and  bare 
heads  of  the  Britons  could  not  resist  the  broad  swords  of 
the  Roman  soldiers.  The  massacre  was  horrible.  The 
wife  and  the  daughter  of  Caractacus  were  captured,  but 
the  chief  himself  had  disappeared.  Hoping  to  renew  the 
struggle,  he  had  taken  refuge  with  his  motlier-in-kiw, 
Cartismandua,  queen  of  the  Brigantes.  She  delivered  him 
up  to  the  Romans.    Caractacus  was  sent  to  Rome  with  his 


1 6  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,         [Chap.  I. 


family.  How  can  men  who  possess  such  palaces  make 
such  efforts  to  conquer  our  miserable  hovels?"  exclaimed 
the  British  hero,  while  traversing  the  streets  of  Rome. 
He  appeared  before  the  tribunal  of  the  emperor.  Agrip- 
pina  was  there  by  the  side  of  her  husband.  The  wife  of 
Caractacus  threw  herself  at  her  feet,  imploring  her  pity ; 
but  the  conquered  chief  asked  for  nothing,  and  exhibited 
no  sign  of  fear.  This  greatness  in  defeat  penetrated  to  the 
heart  and  to  the  sluggish  mind  of  Claudius.  He  gave  the 
order  to  set  the  captives  free.  Tradition  states  that  he 
even  restored  to  his  prisoner  a  portion  of  his  territory,  but 
Tacitus  does  not  m.ention  this  ;  he  leaves  the  story  of  the 
vanquished  chief  at  the  point  where  the  fetters  fall  from 
his  hands. 

For  a  moment  Nero,  who  had  become  emperor,  thought 
of  abandoning  the  conquest  of  Britain,  so  difficult  to  secure. 
It  was  not  until  the  year  59  A.D.  that  Paulinus  Suetonius, 
at  that  time  prsetor,  resolved  to  crush  the  resistance  of  the 
Britons  in  their  innermost  retreat.  The  island  of  Mona 
(now  Anglesey)  was  consecrated  to  the  Druid  worship  ; 
the  priests  had  nearly  all  taken  refuge  there,  and  there  the 
defeated  chiefs  found  an  asylum.  Religion  even  then 
exercised  a  considerable  power  over  the  minds  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Britain.  In  no  part  were  the  Druids  more 
numerous  and  powerful ;  nowhere  had  they  a  greater 
number  of  disciples  diligently  occupied  during  long  years 
in  engraving  upon  their  memory  the  regulations  of  their 
worship,  the  sacred  maxims,  the  ancient  poems,  which  the 
priests  did  not  allow  to  be  committed  to  writing.  Great, 
therefore,  was  the  emotion  in  Britain  when  the  Romans 
were  seen  to  attack  the  holy  isle. 

On  the  shore  a  great  crowd  awaited  the  advance  of  the 
enemy,  '^savage  and  diversified "  in  appearance,  says 
Tacitus.    The  armed  men  were  asscmibled  in  a  mass  ;  the 


Chap.  I.]         ANCIENT  POPULATIONS. 


17 


women,  attired  in  sombre  dress,  running  about  with  dis- 
hevelled hair,  Hke  furies  brandishing  their  torches;  and- 
the  Druids  were  standing,  clothed  in  their  long  white 
robes,  as  if  about  to  sacrifice  to  their  gods,  their  heads 
shaved,  their  beards  long,  their  hands  raised  to  heaven, 
while  they  pronounced  the  terrible  maledictions  of  the 
Celtic  races  against  the  enemies  of  their  people  and  their 
divinities.  The  Roman  soldiers  hesitated ;  their  limbs 
seemed  paralyzed  by  fear,  and  they  exposed  themselves, 
without  resisting,  to  the  blows  of  their  enemies.  Their 
general  urged  them  to  advance.  At  length,  each  encoura- 
ging the  other  to  despise  the  infuriated  cries  of  a  band  of 
priests  and  women,  they  rushed  upon  the  Britons,  and 
precipitated  them  upon  the  stakes  which  they  had  pre- 
pared in  order  to  sacrifice  the  Roman  prisoners  to  their 
gods.  A  garrison  was  placed  on  the  island  ;  the  sacred 
grove  was  cut  down ;  and  the  fugitive  Druids  disappeared, 
to  seek  an  asylum  among  the  tribes  which  still  offered  a 
resistance. 

The  number  of  these  tribes  had  increased  in  the  absence 

of  the   praetor.    The  infamous  treatment  inflicted  upon 

Boadicea,  queen  of  the  Iceni,  and  her  children,  by  order 

of  the  procurator  Catus,  had  aroused  the  indignation  of 

her  neighbors  as  well  as  of  her  own  subjects.    By  secret 

intrigues  the  malcontents  from  all  quarters  were  invited  to 

strike  a  great  blow  for  the  recovery  of  their  liberty.  The 

colony  of  Camalodunum  was  first  attacked  and  put  to  fire 

and  sword.    Suetonius  hastened  from  the  isle  of  Mona, 

and  marched  first  towards  London,  already  an  important 

and  populous  city.    Defence  was  impossible.    The  praetor 

withdrew  the  garrison  to  protect  the  rest  of  the  provinces, 

and  all  the  citizens  who  had  not  been  able  to  retire  under 

the  shelter  of  the  Roman  eagles  were  massacred.  The 

Roman  colony  of  Verulam  suffered  the  same  fate,     It  is 
2 


1 8  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.         [Chap.  I. 

said  that  more  than  70,000  Romans  and  their  alHes  had 
already  perished  under  the  blows  of  the  insurgents,  when 
the  two  armies  found  themselves  confronted.  Queen 
Boadicea  rode  along  the  ranks  of  the  Britons,  clothed  in  a 
robe  of  various  colors,  with  a  golden  zone  around  her 
waist.  She  reminded  her  countrymen  that  she  was  not 
the  first  woman  who  had  led  them  to  battle,  since  the 
custom  of  the  country  often  called  to  the  throne  the  widow 
of  a  sovereign,  passing  over  his  children.  She  spoke  of 
the  irreparable  insults  which  she  had  undergone,  of  the 
misfortunes  of  the  nation,  and  she  exhorted  the  warriors 
to  imm.olate  all  the  Romans  to  Andrasta,  the  goddess  of 
victory.  The  Romans  remained  motionless ;  they  were 
awaiting  the  attack  of  the  Britons. 

The  barbarians,  excited  by  the  glowing  words  of  the 
queen,  rushed  upon  the  legions ;  the  Romans  bestirred 
themselves  at  length,  and  their  broad  swords  opened  for 
them  a  passage  through  the  midst  of  the  mass  of  Britons. 
The  latter  fell  without  flinching ;  but  their  enemy  advanced 
to  the  line  of  chariots,  and  put  to  the  sword  women  and 
children.  It  is  said,  though  no  doubt,  with  the  usual 
exaggeration  of  the  time,  that  80,000  Britons  perished  on 
that  day.  Boadicea,  resolved  not  to  survive  her  hopes  of 
vengeance,  poisoned  herself  upon  the  battle-field. 

Successive  praetors  had  failed  to  establish  tranquillity  in 
Britain,  or  to  obtain  the  submission  of  the  people,  when 
Agricola,  father-in-law  of  the  celebrated  historian  Tacitus, 
arrived  in  his  turn  in  this  indomitable  island.  His  brilliant 
exploits  soon  caused  him  to  be  respected  ;  but,  while  pur- 
suing year  by  year  the  course  of  his  conquests,  he 
endeavored  to  found  the  Roman  rule  upon  the  most 
durable  basis.  In  his  hands  the  civil  administration  be- 
came milder ;  the  Britons  governed  with  justice,  became 
gradually  less  estranged  from  their  conquerors.    A  taste 


Chap.  L] 


ROMAN  DOMINION. 


for  luxury  and  Roman  civilization  began  to  distinguish  tlie 
chiefs  admitted  to  the  praetorian  court ;  the  Roman  toga 
took  the  place  of  the  British  mantle ;  buildings  arose  upon 
the  model  of  the  Roman  constructions ;  children  began  to 
speak  Latin ;  and  at  the  same  time  the  spirit  of  liberty  and 
resistance  diminished  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  south 
of  Britain.  The  Britons  willingly  furnish  recruits  to 
our  armies,"  wrote  Tacitus  ;  they  pay  the  taxes  without 
murmuring,  and  they  perform  with  zeal  their  duties 
towards  the  government,  provided  they  have  not  to  com- 
plain of  oppression.  When  they  are  offended  their  resent- 
ment is  prompt  and  violent ;  they  may  be  conquered,  but 
not  tamed ;  they  may  be  led  to  obedience,  but  not  to 
servitude." 

The  military  progress  of  the  Roman  general  was  no  less 
important  than  his  moral  conquests.  He  had  reached  the 
Firth  of  Forth  and  the  narrow  isthmus  which  separates 
this  river  from  the  mouth  of  the  Clyde.  After  every  new 
victory  he  protected  the  subjected  territory  with  forts. 
He  even  constructed  a  wall,  the  ruins  of  w^hich,  crossing 
the  north  of  England  from  the  Solway  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Tyne,  bear  to  this  day  his  name.  In  the  eighth  and 
ninth  year  of  his  government  he  passed  the  line  of  the 
forts  and  penetrated  into  Scotland,  the  country  of  the 
Caledonians,  savage  tribes  who  had  not  yet  beheld  the 
Roman  eagles.  Scarcely  had  the  conquerors  invaded  this 
new  territory  when  the  Caledonians,  under  the  command 
of  their  chief,  Galgacus,  descended  from  the  Grampian 
hills  and  fell  upon  the  invader.  On  Ardoch  Moor  traces 
of  the  combat  still  exist,  together  with  the  lines  of  the 
Roman  encampment.  The  struggle  lasted  all  day,  and 
the  barbarians  were  defeated ;  but  on  the  morrow  at  sun- 
rise they  liad  disappeared,  and  the  Romans  found  them- 
selves alone  in  the  midst  of  a  wild  country.    In  their 


20 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  L 


flight  the  Caledonians  had  set  fire  to  their  habitations, 
and  with  their  own  hands  had  slain  their  wives  and  children, 
to  prevent  their  falling  victims  to  the  vengeance  of  the 
conqueror.  The  savage  tribes  had  returned  into  their 
mountains,  leaving,  according  to  the  chronicles,  I0,ooo 
dead  upon  the  field  of  battle.  Agricola  made  no  effort  to 
pursue  them.  Falling  back  towards  the  south,  he  des- 
patched his  vessels  to  make  a  voyage  of  exploration  all 
round  the  island,  the  northern  shores  of  which  had  not  yet 
been  visited.  The  mariners  returned,  reporting  that  no 
tongue  of  land  connected  Britain  with  the  continent,  that 
they  had  seen  in  the  distance  Thule  (Iceland),  enveloped 
in  mists  and  eternal  snow,  and  that  the  seas  which  they 
had  traversed  were  of  a  sluggish  kind,  heavy  under  the 
oar,  and  never  agitated  by  wind  or  storms.  Agricola  was 
recalled  to  Rome  through  the  jealousy  of  the  Emperor 
Domitian,  but  his  wise  government  had  appeased  the 
passions  of  the  Britons,  and  for  thirty  years  afterwards  the 
Roman  annals  contain  no  mention  of  British  affairs — an 
evidence  that  peace  reigned  in  the  island. 

An  invasion  of  the  Caledonians  brought  the  Emperor 
Hadrian  to  Britain  (120  A.D.).  Having  driven  them  back 
beyond  the  forts  which  connected  the  mouth  of  the  Sohvay 
on  the  west  with  that  of  the  Tyne  on  the  eastern  coast,  he 
caused  to  be  raised  behind  this  rampart  an  enormous  wall, 
fortified  by  a  wide  fosse  and  provided  with  towers  which 
received  a  garrison.  This  redoubt  is  still  partly  in  exist- 
ence, as  is  the  wall  of  Antoninus,  constructed  some  years 
later  across  the  isthmus  of  the  Forth,  after  a  fresh  invasion 
of  tlic  barbarians. 

No  rampart,  however,  could  resist  the  warlike  ardor  of 
thcsf;.  savage  populations;  and  the  disorganization  which 
had  attacked  the  vast  body  of  the  Empire  began  to  make 
itself  felt  among  the  legions  established  in  Britain.  The 


Chap,  L] 


ROMAN  DOMINION. 


21 


soldiers  often  murmured ;  the  general,  Albinus,  after  hav- 
ing refused  the  title  of  Caesar  from  the  hands  of  the 
Emperor  Commodus,  accepted  it  upon  the  offer  of  Septi- 
mius  Severus,  and,  suddenly  rejecting  his  allegiance,  he 
was  proclaimed  emperor  by  his  troops.  Crossing  imme- 
diately into  Gaul  to  sustain  his  pretensions  by  force  of 
arms,  he  was  defeated  near  Revoux,  and  paid  for  his 
ambition  by  the  loss  of  his  head  ;  but  he  had  brought  with 
him  and  had  sacrificed  the  best  of  the  troops  in  Britain, 
both  Roman  and  native.  The  Caledonians  took  advantage 
of  this  opportunity  to  redouble  their  efforts,  and  the  case 
became  so  grave  that  the  emperor  left  Rome  to  oppose 
them  (207  A.D.). 

Septimius  Severus  was  old  and  infirm,  but  his  spirit  was 
still  unsubdued.  When  he  entered  into  Caledonia  with 
his  son  Caracalla,  he  brought  in  his  train  enormous 
armaments.  His  enemies  were  badly  armed  ;  they  carried 
only  the  short  sword  and  the  target,  which  their  descend- 
ants in  the  highlands  still  employed  during  the  wars  of 
the  last  century.  But  they  v/ere  skilled  to  take  advantage 
of  the  natural  defences  of  their  country,  and  without  being 
able  to  meet  the  Caledonians  in  a  fixed  battle  the  emperor 
had  lost,  it  is  said,  50,000  men  before  abandoning  his 
expedition.  He  had  carried  the  name  and  arms  of  the 
Romans  so  far  that  he  had  no  intention  of  retaining  the 
territory  which  he  had  traversed.  He  left  there  neither 
fortress  nor  garrison,  but  when  he  had  returned  into  the 
subjected  territory  he  separated  it  from  Caledonia  by  a 
new  rampart,  more  imposing  than  all  those  of  his  predeces- 
sors. For  two  years  the  legions  were  employed  in  con- 
structing it  in  stone,  fortifying  it  with  towers,  and 
surrounding  it  with  roads.  The  remains  of  this  gigantic 
work  attest  to  this  day  the  power  of  those  who  raised  it. 
The  Caledonians,  however,  had  just  attempted  another 


22 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,         [Chap.  I. 


invasion  when  the  emperor,  who  was  marching  against 
them,  died  at  York  (211  A.D.),  and  his  son  Caracalla, 
compelled  to  hasten  back  to  Rome  to  protect  the  safety 
of  the  empire,  hurriedly  concluded  with  the  rude  tribes  a 
peace  which  lasted  for  some  years. 

It  was  not  until  the  year  228,  under  the  reign  of  Diocle- 
tian and  Maximilian,  that  the  dangers  wdiich  threatened 
Britain  again  disturbed  the  repose  of  the  Emperors.  Her 
shores  were  threatened  by  Saxon  and  Scandinavian  pirates. 
A  commander  of  Belgian  origin  named  Carausius  was  sent 
against  them,  who  crowned  his  success  by  causing  himself 
to  be  proclaimed  emperor  by  his  legions.  Diocletian  con- 
ferred on  him  the  title  of  Ceesar.  This  new  sovereign  was 
assassinated  at  York,  and  succeeded  in  the  year  297  by 
his  minister  Allectus,  who  himself  fell  soon  after  before  the 
power  of  Constantius  Chlorus.  When  this  prince  died  at 
York,  his  son  Constantine,  proclaimed  emperor  by  his 
troops,  carried  with  him  on  leaving  Britain  a  great  number 
of  the  young  men  of  the  country  eager  to  serve  in  his 
armies. 

The  Roman  empire  no  longer  existed.  The  distant  seat 
of  power  had  been  transferred  to  Constantinople.  The 
province  of  Britain  escaped  from  the  imperial  watchfulness. 
It  was  at  the  same  time  ill  defended.  The  Caledonians  at 
this  period  had  yielded  their  place,  either  in  fact  or  in  name, 
to  the  Picts,  so  called  perhaps  by  the  Romans  on  account 
of  the  colors  with  which  they  painted  their  bodies.  Side 
by  side  with  them,  and  often  driving  them  back  upon  their 
own  territory  were  the  Scots,  originally  from  Ireland,  from 
which  country  they  crossed  over  in  so  great  a  number  in 
their  little  flat-bottomed  boats  that  they  finally  gave  their 
own  name  to  the  country  they  hivadcd.  Under  the  limpcror 
Valentinian  we  find  them  pursuing  their  depredations  as 
far  as  London,  and  driven  back  to  their  own  country  with 


Chap.  L] 


ROMAN  DOMINION. 


23 


great  difficulty  by  Theodosius,  father  of  Theodosius  the 
Great.  Before  him  and  after  his  death,  in  the  year  393, 
Britain  presented  a  similar  spectacle  to  that  of  the  other 
Roman  provinces.  The  generals  who  were  in  command 
there,  were  proclaimed  emperors  by  their  legions,  assassin- 
ated by  their  rivals,  or  decapitated  by  order  of  the  sovereign 
rulers  of  Rome  or  Constantinople,  from  the  moment  that 
they  attempted  to  leave  the  island  to  extend  their  con- 
quests. Every  one  of  these  attempts  cost  Britain  a  number 
of  soldiers  and  contributed  to  weaken  a  race  already 
deteriorated  by  foreign  domination.  In  420,  under  the 
Emperor  Honorius,  when  the  Empire  was  expiring  under 
the  attacks  of  the  barbarians,  the  Britons  deposing  the 
Roman  magistrates,  proclaimed  their  independence,  which 
was  immediately  recognized  by  the  em.peror.  But  the 
Britons  were  not  in  a  condition  to  struggle  against  the 
invaders  who  were  pressing  them  on  all  sides.  Like  the 
Roman  Empire,  their  country  was  fated  to  fall  into  the 
liands  of  the  barbarians. 

Like  the  Roman  Empire,  however,  Britain  had  already 
received  the  principle  which  was  destined  to  save  her  from 
complete  desolation.  In  the  midst  of  political  disorganiza- 
tion, and  of  power  distributed  among  a  hundred  petty 
chiefs,  all  enemies  and  rivals,  she  had  already  heard  the 
only  name  which  has  been  given  to  men  for  their  salva- 
tion. The  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  had  been  proclaimed 
upon  her  shores.  At  what  epoch  or  by  whom  is  not 
known.  Probably  Rome  brought  with  her  arms  the 
Christian  faith  to  the  British  people ;  the  Christians  were 
numerous  in  the  imperial  armies,  and  their  zeal  often  won 
to  Jesus  Christ  the  souls  of  the  vanquished.  Up  to  the 
reign  of  Diocletian  the  progress  of  Christianity  in  Britain 
was  not  impeded  by  any  severity.  At  that  epoch  (303 — 
305)  the  great  persecution  which  was  raging  throughout 


24     ,  HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND.         [Chap.  I. 

the  empire  extended  itself  to  Britain.  Constantius  Chlorus, 
who  was  then  governor,  favorable  though  he  was  to  the 
Gospel,  was  nevertheless  unable  to  avoid  calling  around 
him  the  officers  of  his  household  and  announcing  to  them 
the  necessity  of  either  relinquishing  their  trusts  or  abjuring 
the  name  of  Christ.  Those  who  were  cowardly  enough 
to  prefer  earthly  greatness  to  Christian  fidelity  found  them- 
selves disappointed  in  their  ambitious  hopes.  The  general 
immediately  deprived  them  of  office,  remarking  tliat  men 
faithless  to  their  God  would  be  equally  wanting  in  fidelity 
to  their  emperor.  But  the  moderation  of  Constantius 
Chlorus  was  insufficient  to  extinguish  the  persecuting  zeal 
of  the  inferior  magistrates ;  and  the  British  Church  soon 
counted  its  martyrs.  The  Christians  took  refuge  in  the 
forests  and  the  hills.  They  were  able  to  find  brethren 
among  the  rude  tribes  of  the  north ;  for  Tertullian  tells  us 
that,  in  the  portion  of  Britain  where  the  arms  of  the 
Romans  had  failed  to  penetrate,  Jesus  Christ  had  conquered 
souls.  With  the  power  of  Constantine  Christianity 
ascended  the  throne  ;  the  British  Church  was  organized ; 
she  had  sent  three  Bishops  to  the  Council  of  Aries  in  314; 
but  Britain  was  about  to  undergo  a  new  yoke :  and  her 
dawning  Christianity  was  destined  to  encounter  other 
enemies. 

CHAPTER  II. 

THE  RULE  OF  THE  SAXONS  TO  THE  INVASION  OF  THE 
DANES  (449 — 832). 

DISCORD  prevailed  in  Britain.  The  petty  rival  chiefs, 
sometimes  triumphant,  sometimes  defeated,  united 
in  vain  against  the  Picts  and  Scots,  whom  the  R-oman  walls 
no  longer  impeded  now  that  the  Roman  power  had  disap- 


CiiA?.  II.]      THE  RULE  OF  THE  SAXONS. 


^5 


pcared.  In  this  disorder,  the  Eritons  were  dwindhng  in 
numbers  day  by  day,  when  Vortigern,  chief  of  Kent,  con- 
ceived the  project  of  calHng  to  his  assistance  the  Saxons,  a 
famous  people  who  inhabited  the  northern  coasts  of  Ger- 
many and  Denmark  and  extended  their  power  even  to  a 
portion  of  the  territory  now  known  as  Holland.  Several 
tribes  were  descended  from  a  common  origin.  The  Jutes, 
the  Angles,  the  Saxons  (properly  so  called)  all  led  the  life 
of  pirates,  and  many  a  time  had  they  suddenly  appeared 
upon  the  coasts  of  Britain  or  of  Gaul,  scattering  terror 
among  the  inhabitants,  whose  houses  they  pillaged  and 
burnt,  killing  all  who  resisted  them.  For  a  long  time  they 
risked  their  lives  and  sported  with  the  dangers  of  the  sea 
in  mere  skiffs ;  but  in  449,  when  Vortigern  called  to  his 
aid  two  celebrated  pirates  among  the  Jutes,  named  Hengist 
and  Horsa,  the  Saxon  vessels  were  long,  strongly  built, 
and  capable  of  carrying  a  considerable  number  of  men  and 
of  wrestling  with  the  fury  of  the  waves.  The  pirates 
responded  promptly  to  the  appeal,  and  for  some  time  they 
faithfully  observed  their  engagements,  driving  the  Picts 
and  Scots  back  into  their  territory  and  fighting  for  Vorti- 
gern against  his  British  enemies.  It  is  related  that  the 
Saxon  Hengist,  having  fortified  himself  at  Thong-Caster, 
situated  in  the  county  of  Lincoln,  gave  there  a  feast  to 
King  Vortigern.  Hengist  had  sent  for  his  daughter,  the 
beautiful  Rowena,  who,  bending  the  knee  before  the  British 
sovereign,  offered  him  the  cup  of  welcome.  Her  beauty 
enchanted  Vortigern,  and  he  could  not  rest  until  he  had 
obtained  her  hand. 

Whether  from  a  weakness  for  the  father  of  his  wife,  or 
from  gratitude  for  services,  or  from  the  impossibility  of 
ridding  himself  of  the  allies  whom  he  had  sent  for,  Vorti- 
gern permitted  Hengist  to  establish  himself  in  the  isle  of 
Thanct ;    and  gradually  fresh  vessels   arrived  bringing 


26 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.         [Chvp.  IL 


reinforcements  for  the  foreign  colony.  Angles  followed 
Jutes  ;  and  the  Britons  began  to  be  anxious  about  these 
powerful  neighbors.  At  the  first  quarrel  swords  were 
drawn  from  their  scabbards.  Their  blades  were  equally 
good  and  keen  ;  for  the  Britons  had  derived  their  military 
equipments  from  the  Romans,  and  the  Saxons,  passion- 
ately fond  of  iron,  attached  more  importance  to  their 
arms  than  to  any  other  possession.  But  the  Britons  had 
been  weakened  by  their  old  dissensions ;  the  Saxons 
allied  themselves  with  the  Picts  and  Scots,  against  whom 
they  had  been  originally  called  to  fight,  and  several 
indecisive  battles  ended  in  a  truce.  It  is  even  related  that 
the  two  parties  being  assembled  at  a  banquet  at  Stone- 
henge,  on  the  ist  of  May,  Hengist  cried  out  to  the  Saxons, 
in  their  language,  Draw  your  swords  !"  and,  at  the  same 
moment,  the  long  knives  concealed  under  the  garments 
of  the  Saxons  were  plunged  into  the  hearts  of  their 
entertainers.  Vortigern  alone  was  spared,  no  doubt  at 
the  intercession  of  Rowena.  The  war  began  ;  the  Britons 
were  defeated,  and  Eric,  son  of  Hengist,  became  in  457 
the  first  Saxon  king  of  the  county  of  Kent,  the  Isle  of 
Wight,  and  that  part  of  the  coast  of  Hampshire  which 
faces  that  island. 

The  success  of  Hengist  and  Horsa  naturally  attracted 
new  hordes.  In  the  year  477  the  Saxons,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Ella,  founded  the  kingdom  of  Sussex  (South 
Sax),  which  comprised  only  the  present  county  of  Sussex. 
In  the  year  519  other  Saxons,  under  the  orders  of  Cerdic, 
completed  the  invasion  of  South  Britain,  and  extended 
themselves  from  the  county  of  Surrey,  bordering  upon 
Sussex  and  Kent,  to  the  eastern  extremity  of  England  ; 
they  occupied  also  Surrey  and  all  that  portion  of  Hamp- 
sliire  not  in  the  possession  of  the  Jutes,  together  with 
Hampshire,  Wiltshire,  Somersetshire,  and  Devonshire,  not 


Chap.  II.]       THE  RULE  OF  THE  SAXONS. 


27 


even  leaving  to  the  Britons  the  whole  of  the  county  of 
Cornwall.  This  new  kingdom  took  the  name  of  Wessex 
(West  Sax). 

The  invaders  grew  bolder.  In  530  a  new  body  of 
Saxons,  the  name  of  whose  leader  is  not  recorded  in 
history,  arrived,  and  established  themselves  upon  the 
northern  border  of  the  kingdoms  of  Kent  and  Wessex, 
founding  there  the  kingdom  of  Essex  (East  Sax),  the 
importance  of  which  was  due  to  the  Thames  and  London, 
since  it  comprised  only  the  county  of  Essex,  the  small 
territory  of  Middlesex,  and  the  southern  part  of  the  county 
of  Herts. 

Thus,''  says  M.  Guillaume  Guizot  in  his  History  of 
Alfred  the  Great^  ''the  Saxons  originally  rested  their 
power  upon  the  first  state  founded  by  the  Jutes  at  the 
south-eastern  extremity  of  England.  They  surrounded  it 
by  their  own  settlements,  and  all  established  themselves  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  island.''  They  had  scarcely 
completed  their  migrations  when  the  Angles,  who  had 
then  arrived  only  in  small  numbers,  and  were  mingled 
w^ith  the  Jutes,  began  on  their  own  account  to  invade  the 
eastern  coast.  About  the  year  527  several  bands  of 
Angles  arrived  under  different  chiefs,  but  it  was  not  until 
some  years  later  that  they  united  to  form  the  kingdom  of 
East  Anglia,  which  comprised  the  counties  of  Norfolk, 
Suffolk,  Cambridge,  the  isle  of  Ely,  and  probably  a  por- 
tion of  Bedfordshire.  The  territories  of  Norfolk  and 
Suffolk  owe  even  their  names  to  two  tribes  of  Angles,  the 
North  folk  and  the  South  folk,  while  the  entire  race  have 
given  their  name  to  England.  This  new  kingdom,  still 
isolated  as  well  as  defended  by  the  sea,  was  fortified  by 
fens  and  by  many  rivers.  Where  natural  defences  were 
wanting  the  Angles  raised  earthworks,  long  known  as  the 
Giant's  Dyke,  then  as  the  Devil's  Dyke.    In  spite  of  the 


28 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.         [Chap.  II. 


draining  of  the  fen,  the  Hne  of  these  works  can  be  traced 
to  this  day. 

In  the  year  547,  new  bands  of  Angles,  led  by  a  chief 
named  Ida,  landed  upon  the  north-east  coast  and  founded 
there  the  kingdom  of  Bernicia,  which  comprised  Northum- 
berland and  the  south  of  Pentland,  between  the  Tweed 
and  the  Firth  of  Forth.  Some  years  later,  in  560,  other 
Angles,  no  less  enterprising  than  their  predecessors, 
established  themselves  from  the  southern  limit  of  Bernicia 
as  far  as  the  Humber,  and  from  one  sea  to  the  other, 
occupying  all  the  territory  of  the  counties  of  Lancaster, 
York,  Westmoreland,  Cumberland,  and  Durham.  This 
was  the  kingdom  of  Deira.  These  two  colonies  were 
united  under  the  same  sceptre  in  617,  and  took  the  name 
of  Northumbria. 

The  Angles  began  to  advance  from  the  coasts.  In  the 
year  586  they  occupied  all  the  country  bounded  on  the 
north  by  the  river  Humber  and  the  kingdom  of  Deira  ; 
on  the  west,  by  Wales,  which  alone  remained  in  the  hands 
of  the  Britons  ;  on  the  south,  by  the  Saxon  kingdoms  ; 
and  on  the  south-east,  by  the  Angles  of  East  Anglia. 
Mcrcia,  as  the  new  kingdom  was  called,  comprised  then 
on  the  south-east  the  northern  part  of  the  counties  of 
Hertford  and  Bedford  ;  on  the  east,  all  the  counties  of 
Northampton,  Huntingdon,  and  Rutland  ;  on  the  north, 
the  counties  of  Lincoln,  Nottingham,  Derby,  and  Chester  ; 
on  the  west,  Staffordshire,  Shropshire,  Worcestershire,  and 
Herefordshire ;  in  the  centre  of  the  island,  Warwickshire 
and  Leicestershire ;  on  the  south,  Gloucestershire,  Oxford- 
shire, and  the  county  of  Buckingliam.  In  this  kingdom, 
the  most  extensive  of  all,  the  British  population  had  not 
been  destroyed  or  driven  back,  as  they  had  in  the  greater 
portion  of  other  parts  ;  they  continued  to  inhabit  their 
ancient  country,  mingled  with  and  subject  to  the  Angles. 


Chap.  II.]    THE  RULE  OF  THE  SAXONS. 


29 


Such  was  the  division  of  Britain  among  the  conquerors, 
and  the  constitution  of  the  Saxon  kingdoms.  This  is  what 
is  known  as  the  Heptarchy,  or  Octarchy,  according  to 
whether  we  place  the  denomination  before  or  after  the 
union  of  the  kingdoms  of  Deira  and  Bernicia  in  a  single 
kingdom  of  Northumbria.  Such  was  the  new  scene  of 
the  wars  which  were  destined  to  break  out  again  and 
dekige  Britain,  now  become  England,  with  blood. 

A  more  gentle  influence  was  soon  to  exercise  its  effect 
upon  the  sanguinary  passion  of  the  barbarous  races.  The 
British  Christians,  though  vanquished  and  driven  back 
into  the  narrow  territory  of  Cambria  or  Wales,  do  not 
seem  to  have  attempted  to  convert  their  conquerors.  For 
a  moment  they  had  themselves  run  the  risk  of  falling  into 
the  heresies  of  Pelagius,  an  Irish  monk  who  denied  the 
doctrine  of  original  sin ;  but  the  missionaries  from  Gaul, 
Saint  Germain  and  Saint  Loup,  had  succeeded  in  429  and 
446  in  uprooting  among  them  these  disastrous  tendencies. 
One  day  Saint  Germain,  who  had  been  a  soldier  before 
being  a  bishop,  found  himself  in  the  presence  of  a  band  of 
Picts  and  Saxons  who  were  laying  waste  the  coast. 
Putting  himself  at  the  head  of  his  flock,  he  marched 
against  the  enemy  amidst  loud  cries  of  Alleluia  These 
cries  taken  up  by  the  neighboring  echoes  terrified  the 
piiatcs,  who  fled;  hence  this  peaceful  victory  became 
known  by  the  name  of    The  Battle  of  the  Alleluias." 

The  Britons  were  not  heretics,  but  with  the  indepen- 
dence which  always  characterized  their  race  they  differed 
from  Rome  and  from  the  Eastern  Church  upon  various 
points  of  little  importance  in  themselves,  though  they  had 
often  created  divisions  in  Christendom.  P^or  no  reason 
that  has  come  down  to  us  the  Britons  celebrated  Piaster  in 
accordance  with  the  customs  of  the  Eastern  Church — that 
is  to  say,  at  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  moon,  whatever 


30 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  IL 


might  be  the  day  on  which  that  event  fell,  in  imitation  of 
the  Jews  \A\o  on  that  day  offered  up  the  Paschal  Iamb. 
The  Western  Church,  on  the  contrary,  postponed  the 
celebration  of  Easter  till  the  Sunday  following.  Nothing 
more  was  needed  to  breed  dissensions  between  the  British 
bishops  and  the  missionaries  despatched  from  Rome  by 
Pope  Gregory  the  Great.  For  some  years  previously, 
Gregory,  not  yet  become  a  bishop,  and  being  in  fact  only 
a  simple  priest,  passing  through  the  slave-market  in  Rome, 
had  been  struck  by  the  handsome  appearance  of  some 
young  persons  offered  there  for  sale.  Learning  that  they 
belonged  to  the  race  of  Angles,  or  Saxons,  They  would 
not  be  Angles  but  angels,"  he  exclaimed,  if  they  were 
Christians  and  he  conceived  the  project  of  going  himself 
to  preach  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  to  a  people  so  well 
endowed  by  nature.  His  friends  were  only  able  to  prevail 
on  him  to  renounce  his  intention  by  inducing  the  Pope  to 
forbid  his  departure  from  Rome.  When  in  his  turn  he 
was  elevated  to  the  episcopal  dignity  in  the  most  impor- 
tant see  of  the  Western  Church,  he  did  not  forget  the 
Saxons  whose  conversion  had  previously  occupied  his 
tlioughts.  He  endeavored  first  to  inflame  with  his  zeal 
the  young  slaves  whom  he  had  caused  to  be  placed  in 
convents ;  but  the  Saxons  were  apparently  not  disposed 
to  become  Missionaries,  for  in  the  year  595  the  Pope 
despatched  to  Britain  a  young  monk  named  Augustine, 
prior  of  the  Convent  of  St.  Andrew  at  Rome,  accompanied 
by  forty  friars.  They  took  the  road  towards  Gaul ;  but 
they  had  scarcely  arrived  at  Aix,  when  they  heard  such 
terrible  accounts  of  the  ferocity  of  the  Anglo-Saxons  that 
they  were  alarmed  and  wrote  to  the  Pope  to  ask  .his  leave 
to  retrace  their  footsteps.  Gregory,  on  the  contrary, 
encouraged  them  to  persevere  in  their  enterprise,  and 
furnished  with  interpreters  by  the  good  offices  of  Brune- 


Chap.  II.]        THE  RULE  OF  THE  SAXONS. 


31 


haut,  who  was  reigning  over  Austrasia  in  the  name  of  her 
grandsons,  they  arrived  in  597  in  the  Isle  of  Thanet. 
Augustine  sent  immediately  one  of  his  monks  to  Ethel- 
bert,  king  of  Kent,  announcing  his  intention  of  coming  to 
preach  Christianity  to  his  court. 

The  place  could  not  have  been  better  chosen.  A  power- 
ful prince  in  his  domains,  Ethelbert  was  their  Bretwalda, 
or  general  chief  of  all  the  Heptarchy,  This  title,  which 
was  in  no  way  well  defined,  but  which  conferred  a  certain 
influence  in  the  counsels  of  the  seven  Saxon  states,  seems 
to  have  been  accorded  to  a  kind  of  merit  understood  by 
all.  Tvv^o  chiefs  had  already  borne  it  before  Ethelbert— 
Ella,  first  king  of  Sussex,  and  Ceawlin,  king  of  Wessex. 
The  new  Bretwalda  was  a  pagan,  but  he  had  married  a 
Christian  wife,  Bertha,  daughter  of  Charibert,  king  of 
Paris :  she  had  reserved  to  herself  the  free  exercise  of  her 
religion ;  a  French  bishop  had  even  accompanied  her. 
Ethelbert  had  no  repugnance  towards  Christianity  and  he 
consented  to  receive  the  Roman  missionaries.  "  Be  care- 
ful to  grant  them  an  audience  in  the  open  air,"  said  the 
pagan  priests,  however ;  their  maledictions  will  be  less 
powerful  there  than  under  a  roof."  It  was  therefore  in  the 
open  field  that  the  Saxon  Bretwalda  awaited  the  approach 
of  the  Christian  priests.  They  advanced  bearing  a  crucifix 
and  a  banner  on  which  was  painted  the  image  of  the 
Saviour.  They  made  the  air  resound  with  their  grave 
canticles.  The  imagination  of  the  barbarians  was  no  doubt 
struck  by  these  ceremonies,  and  when  Augustine  by  the 
aid  of  an  interpreter,  had  explained  to  the  king  the  lead- 
ing doctrines  of  the  Christian  faith  and  asked  permission 
to  preach  to  his  subjects  the  religion  which  they  had  come 
to  proclaim  to  him,  Ethelbert  mildly  replied,  I  am  not 
disposed  to  abandon  the  gods  of  my  fathers  for  an  unknown 
and  uncertain  faith  ;  but  since  your  intentions  are  good 


32 


HISTOBY  OF  ENGLAND,         [Chap.  II. 


and  your  words  full  of  gentleness,  you  can  speak  freely  to 
my  people.  I  will  prevent  any  one  interfering  with  you, 
and  will  furnish  food  to  you  and  your  monks."  Augustine 
overjoyed,  directed  his  steps  towards  the  neighboring  city 
of  Canterbury,  which  he  entered  chanting,  O  Eternal 
Father,  we  supplicate  Thee  according  to  Thy  mercy  turn 
Thy  anger  from  this  city  and  from  Thy  sacred  place,  for 
we  have  sinned.    Alleluia  !" 

The  preaching  of  Augustine  and  the  sanctity  of  his  life 
exercised  a  powerful  influence  over  the  Saxons.  Numer- 
ous converts  already  pressed  around  him  when  King  Ethel- 
bert  decided  to  embrace  the  Christian  religion.  His 
conversion  attracted  his  subjects  in  a  mass  to  the  new 
Faith,  and  Pope  Gregory,  delighted  with  the  success  of  the 
Mission,  sent  to  Augustine  the  episcopal  pallium'  with  the 
title  of  Archbishop  of  Canterbury.  At  the  same  time 
Gregory  advised  the  new  prelate  not  to  destroy  the  pagan 
temples  to  which  the  people  had  been  accustomed,  but  to 
consecrate  them  to  the  worship  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  to 
transform  the  pagan  festivals  into  joyful  family  meetings 
at  which  the  Christian  Saxons  could  cat  their  oxen  instead 
of  sacrificing  them  to  false  gods. 

With  these  sage  counsels  Gregory  sent  a  reinforcement 
of  missionaries  ;  but  they  did  not  suffice  for  the  zeal  or 
the  views  of  Augustine,  who  resolved  to  address  himself  to 
the  British  bishops  in  Wales  asking  their  assistance  in  the 
work  of  evangelization.  The  Britons  were  jealous  and 
anxious.  They  consulted  a  hermit  of  great  reputation  for 
sanctity  upon  the  claims  of  Augustine  to  their  trust  and 
obedience.  If  the  stranger  comes  from  God,  follow  him," 
said  the  hermit.  "  But  how  shall  we  know  if  he  is  from 
God  ?"  asked  the  Britons.       By  his  humility."    .  .  .  The 

^  An  ornament  of  woollen  texture,  sprinkled  with  black  crosses,  which  the 
Pope  sends  to  the  Archbishops  and  sometimes  to  Bishops. 


Chap.  II.]        THE  RULE  OF  THE  SAXONS, 


33 


reply  still  appeared  to  the  envoys  to  be  vague.  If  he 
rises  at  your  approach,  know  that  he  is  the  leader  sent  by 
God  to  dh*ect  his  people,"  continued  the  hermit.  If  he 
remains  seated  reject  him  because  of  his  pride."  Fortified 
with  this  precise  instruction  the  British  priests,  with  seven 
Bishops  and  the  Abbot  of  Bangor,  presented  themselves  at 
the  conference.  Augustine  was  seated,  and  did  not  rise  to 
receive  them.  The  question  was  ah'eady  settled  in  their 
minds  when  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  stated  his 
demands.  He  desired  that  the  British  priests  should 
henceforth  celebrate  the  festival  of  Easter  oil  the  same  day 
as  the  Western  Church  ;  that  they  should  employ  the 
Roman  forms  in  the  ceremony  of  baptism,  and  that  they 
should  join  their  efforts  with  his  for  the  conversion  of  the 
Saxons.  All  these  proposals  were  rejected.  Then  Augus- 
tine rose  and  in  a  loud  voice  exclaimed,  You  refuse  to 
labor  to  convert  the  Saxons  !  You  will  perish  by  the 
swords  of  the  Saxons."  This  prediction  was  remembered 
some  years  later  when  all  the  monks  of  Bangor  were 
massacred  by  the  Nordiumbrians  in  a  Saxon  expedition 
into  Cambria. 

In  spite  of  the  coolness  of  the  British  Bishops  the  work 
of  conversion  went  on.  The  zeal  of  Ethelbert  had  already 
engaged  his  nephew  Sebert,  king  of  Essex,  to  receive 
baptism.  A  church  had  been  founded  in  London  which 
possessed  a  bishop.  Another  prelate  had  his  seat  at 
Rochester.  Ethelbert  had  also  gained  over  to  the  Christ- 
ian faith  the  chief  of  East  Anglia,  Redwald,  who  became 
after  him  Bretwalda  of  the  Heptarchy.  But  the  wife  of 
Redwald  was  still  a  pagan  and  Iiis  subjects  were  attached 
to  the  religion  of  their  ancestors.  The  king  set  up  two 
altars  in  the  same  temple,  one  dedicated  to  Odin  and  the 
other  to  the  God  of  the  Christians;  but  the  new  faith  soon 
prevailed   over   its   rival,    and   East    Anglia   took  its 


34 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,         [Chap.  II. 


place  among  the  Christian  kingdoms  of  the  Hep- 
tarchy. 

Christianity  had  not  yet  penetrated  into  Northumbria 
when  the  king  Edwin  married  a  daughter  of  Ethelbert,  a 
Christian  Hke  her  father.  The  queen  came  accompanied 
by  a  Roman  bishop  named  PauHnus;  but  the  king 
remained  faithful  to  the  worship  of  his  forefathers  in  spite 
of  the  solicitations  of  his  wife,  of  Paulinus,  and  even  of  the 
Pope.  He  had,  however,  consented  to  the  child  of  Ethel- 
burga  being  baptized ;  and  the  day  was  at  hand  when  his 
scruples  were  destined  to  be  overcome.  In  his  youth, 
during  a  long  exile  and  in  the  midst  of  serious  perils,  there 
had  appeared  before  him,  doubtless  in  a  dream,  a  person 
of  venerable  aspect,  who  asked  him,  What  v/ouldst  thou 
give  to  one  who  should  deliver  thee  to-day  ?"  All  that 
I  possess,"  replied  the  Saxon.  If  he  asked  thee  only  to 
follow  his  counsels,  wouklst  thou  obey?"  Unto  death," 
w^as  the  answer.  It  is  well,"  said  the  apparition,  at  the 
same  time  placing  his  hand  softly  upon  his  head  ;  when 
one  shall  return  and  make  thee  this  sign,  follow  him." 
Edwin  had  escaped  from  the  dangers  which  threatened 
him,  and  his  dream  had  remained  deeply  engraved  upon 
liis  memory. 

One  day  when  he  was  alone,  the  door  of  his  apartment 
opened,  and  Paulinus  entering  softly  placed  his  hand  upon 
his  head.  Dost  thou  remember  ?"  he  asked,  and  liie 
Saxon,  falling  on  his  knees,  promised  to  do  whatever  he 
should  desire.  Still  thoughtful  and  prudent,  however, 
while  accepting  baptism  for  himself,  he  reserved  the  right 
of  his  subjects  to  act  as  might  seem  well  to  them.  The 
Council  of  Wise  Men  or  Aldermen  was  called  together,  and 
the  king  having  informed  them  of  his  change  of  faith,  as 
the  basis  of  a  new  doctrine,  asked  them  what  they  thought 
of  it.    The  chief  of  the  priests  was  there,  and  spoke  first. 


Chap.  II.]      THE  RULE  OF  THE  SAXONS. 


35 


Our  gods  are  powerless/'  he  said  ;  I  have  served  them 
with  more  zeal  and  fidelity  than  all  the  people,  yet  I  am 
neither  richer  nor  more  honored.  I  am  weary  of  the 
gods." 

An  ancient  warrior  near  the  king  rose  at  this  speech, 
king/'  he  said,  thou  rememberest  perhaps  in  the 
winter  days  when  thou  art  seated  with  thy  captain  near  a 
good  fire,  lighted  in  a  warm  apartment,  while  it  is  raining 
and  snowing  out  of  doors,  that  a  little  bird  has  entered 
by  one  door  and  gone  out  by  another  with  fluttering 
wings.  He  has  passed  a  moment  of  happiness,  sheltered 
from  the  rain  and  the  storm ;  but  the  bird  vanishes  with 
the  quickness  of  a  glance,  and  from  Vvdnter  he  returns 
again  to  winter.  Such  it  appears  to  me  is  the  life  of  man 
upon  this  earth.  The  unknown  time  is  irksome  to  us.  It 
perplexes  us  because  we  know  nothing  of  it.  If  thy  new 
faith  teaches  us  something,  it  is  worthy  of  our  adherence." 

The  whole  assembly  took  the  side  of  the  two  chiefs  ;  but 
when  Paulinus  proposed,  as  a  token  of  renunciation  to 
false  gods,  that  their  idols  should  be  cast  down,  all  hesitated 
except  the  high  priest.  He  demanded  a  horse  and  a 
javelin  in  place  of  the  mare  and  the  white  rod  which  per- 
tained to  his  old  office,  and  galloping  towards  the  temple 
he  struck  the  image  with  his  v/eapon.  The  people  trem- 
bling awaited  some  token  of  the  wrath  of  the  gods;  but  the 
heavens  and  the  earth  remained  silent,  and  the  king  was 
baptized  with  all  the  most  distinguished  of  his  people,  who 
were  accompanied  by  a  crowd  of  warriors.  Edwin  soon 
became  Bretwalda,  and  his  reign  was  an  epoch  of  repose 
and  happiness  for  his  subjects. 

During  the  struggles  which  recommenced  after  the 
death  of  Edwin,  three  kingdoms  fortified  themselves,  and 
took  the  lead  over  the  others.  These  were  Northumbria, 
Mercia,  and  Wessex.    These  three  divisions  of  the  Hep- 


36 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.  [Chap.  1L 


tarchy  were  predominant  in  the  year  800,  when  Egbert, 
prince  of  Wessex,  returned  to  his  country  after  a  long 
exile.  He  had  passed  a  considerable  portion  of  the  time 
at  the  court  of  Charlemagne,  and  had  thus  acquired  a 
development  of  intellect  and  of  knowledge  rare  at  that 
time  among  the  Saxon  princes.  The  first  part  of  his 
reign  was  peaceful;  but  from  the  year  809  forward,  the 
sword  of  Egbert  w^as  drawn  from  the  scabbard,  and  foi 
many  years  he  pursued  his  conquests  from  kingdom  to 
kingdom.  He  had  already  extended  his  dominion  over 
the  British  people  of  Cornwall,  who  had  consented  to  pay 
him  tribute,  when  he  subjugated  Mercia  and  the  kingdom 
of  Kent,  Essex,  and  East  Anglia.  He  had  carried  his 
victorious  arms  up  to  the  frontiers  of  Northumbria.  The 
chiefs,  anxious  and  already  beaten  in  anticipation,  came  to 
meet  him,  recognizing  him  for  their  sovereign,  and 
promising  him  obedience.  Egbert  accepted  their  homage, 
and  retired  without  fighting  a  battle.  Nearly  the  whole 
Heptarchy  had  accepted  his  laws,  and  the  title  of  Bretwalda 
had  conferred  upon  him  an  authority  more  considerable 
than  in  the  case  of  any  of  his  predecessors.  He  continued, 
however,  to  assume  the  simple  title  of  king  of  Wessex. 
He  reigned  until  the  year  836,  happy  and  powerful ;  but 
the  last  years  of  his  reign  were  troubled  by  the  first 
invasions  of  the  Danes.  Egbert  repulsed  them  with  glory  ; 
but  if  he  had  possessed  a  spark  of  the  almost  prophetic 
foresight  of  Charlemagne,  he  would  have  wept,  like  the 
Frankish  hero,  over  the  infinite  v/oes  with  which  these 
men  from  the  North  menaced  his  country. 


Chap.  III.] 


THE  DANES, 


37 


CHAPTER  III. 


THE    DANES. — ALFRED    THE    GREAT    (836 — 9OI.) 


OR  nearly  four  centuries  the  Saxons  had  been  estab- 


X  hshed  in  Britain  ;  they  had  become  the  sole  masters 
of  the  country,  and  had  there  forgotten  the  original  source 
of  their  wealth.  But  the  nation  from  which  they  had 
sprung  was  still  prolific  in  warriors,  vigorous,  enterprising, 
and  possessed  of  nothing  in  the  world  but  their  arms  and 
their  ships,  for  all  the  property  of  the  family  belonged  by 
right  to  the  eldest  son  :  warriors  too  ardent  in  conquering 
and  in  obtaining  wealth  at  the  point  of  the  sword.  The 
peninsula  of  Jutland  and  the  provinces  still  further  north 
of  Scandinavia  sent  year  by  year  to  the  French  and  Eng- 
lish coasts  a  great  number  of  ships,  manned  by  the  Sea- 
kings,"  as  they  styled  themselves:  **The  tempest  is  our 
friend,"  they  would  say ;  it  takes  us  wherever  we  wish 
to  go."  Repulsed  three  times  from  the  coast  of  England 
by  Egbert,  these  pirates  soon  reappeared  under  the  reign 
of  his  son  Ethelvvulf;  the  whole  island  became  surrounded 
by  their  light  skiffs.  The  Saxons  had  been  compelled  to 
organize  along  the  shores  a  continual  resistance,  and  to 
appoint  officers  whose  duty  it  was  to  call  out  the  people  in 
a  body  to  repulse  the  enemy.  Three  serious  contests  took 
place  in  839 — at  Rochester,  at  Canterbury,  and  at  London. 
King  Ethelwulf  himself  was  wounded  in  battle.  But 
shortly  after,  the  internal  dissensions  which  were  agitating 
the  whole  of  France,  attracted  the  pirates  as  the  dead  body 
attracts  the  vulture.  During  twelve  years  the  Danish  fleets 
altered  their  course,  and  repaired  to  tiie  French  coasts. 
When  they  reappeared,  in  831,  in  England,  their  successes 


38  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.         [Chap.  III. 


were  at  first  alarming ;  three  hundred  and  fifty  of  their 
vessels  ascended  the  Thames  as  far  as  London,  and  the 
town  was  sacked.  But  the  king  awaited  the  enemy  at 
Oakley :  they  \vere  defeated,  and  suffered  great  losses. 
After  having  met  with  severe  reverses  at  several  other 
parts  of  the  Saxon  territory,  the  Danes  withdrew  from 
there,  and  respected  the  English  coasts  during  the  remain- 
der of  the  reign  of  Ethelwulf. 

It  is  at  this  period  that  there  appears  in  the  pages  of 
history  the  name  of  the  fourth  son  of  Ethelwulf,  him  whom 
England  v/as  one  day  to  call  Alfred  the  Great,  Alfred  the 
Well-beloved.  He  had  first  seen  the  light  of  day  at  Wan- 
tage, in  the  heart  of  the  forests  of  Berkshire,  in  849,  two 
years  before  the  departure  of  the  Danes.  His  mother 
Osberga,  a  noble  and  pious  woman,  gave  herself  up 
entirely  to  the  task  of  rearing  her  little  son,  who  soon 
began  to  excite  the  hope  and  admiration  of  all  who  saw 
him.  Doubtless  the  predilection  which  his  father  had  for 
this  little  child,  induced  him  to  give  a  startling  proof  of  his 
affection,  for  Alfred  was  scarcely  four  years  of  age  when  he 
was  sent  to  Rome  with  a  numerous  suite  of  nobles  and 
servants,  to  ask  for  himself,  of  Pope  Leo  IV.,  the  title  of 
king,  and  the  holy  unction.  The  Pope  was  aware  of  the 
piety  of  the  Saxon  monarch,  and  he  consecrated  with  his 
own  hands  the  little  king,  and  even  administered  to  him 
the  sacrament  of  confirmation.  Alfred  returned  to  Eng- 
land, and  it  was  no  doubt  the  recollection  of  what  he  had 
seen  at  Rome,  which  began  thenceforward  to  instil  into 
his  soul  the  desire  to  gain  knowledge,  the  pursuit  of  which 
was  probably  very  rare  among  the  young  Saxons.  His 
mother,  one  day,  was  holding  a  pretty  manuscript  in  her 
hand,  a  collection  of  ancient  Saxon  poems,  and  was  show- 
ing it  to  her  four  sons,  who  were  playing  beside  her.  I 
will  give  this  pretty  book,"  she  said,    to  whichever  of  you 


Chap.  III.] 


THE  DANES. 


39 


shall  learn  it  the  soonest  by  heart."  Ethelbald,  Ethelbert, 
and  Ethelred  eyed  the  book  with  indifference,  and  went 
on  with  their  game  ;  but  little  Alfred  approached  his 
motlier :  "Really,"  said  he,  "will  you  give  this  beautiful 
manuscript  to  whoever  shall  learn  it  by  heart  the  quickest 
and  who  shall  come  and  repeat  it  all  to  you  ?"  The  large, 
round  eyes  of  the  child  were  fixed  upon  his  mother  :  she 
repeated  her  promise,  and  even  gave  up  the  manuscript 
into  the  keeping  of  the  little  prince.  He  quickly  hurried 
away  with  it  to  his  master,  who  was  able  to  read  aloud  to 
him  the  verses  which  it  contained,  for,  alas !  Alfred  could 
not  read  until  lie  was  twelve  years  of  age.  He  soon 
returned,  triumphant,  repeated  the  lines,  received  the  book 
from  his  mother,  and  preserved  thenceforth  throughout 
his  life  a  taste  for  the  old  Saxon  ballads  of  which  he  had 
thus  first  made  the  acquaintance. 

Alfred  was  six  years  old  and  had  lost  his  mother,  when 
his  father,  wishing  to  make  the  pilgrimage  to  Rome  in  his 
turn,  took  his  youngest  son  with  him  :  the  Saxon  king 
spent  a  year  with  the  Pope,  carrying  from  church  to  church 
*  his  sumptuous  devotion.  On  his  return  journey,  he  stopped 
at  the  court  of  Charles  the  Bold,  a  court  elegant  and  polite 
in  comparison  with  the  still  rude  customs  of  the  Saxons ; 
and,  attracted  by  the  beauty  as  well  as  the  arts  of  Princess 
Judith,  daughter  of  Charles,  Ethelwulf  married  her,  not- 
withstanding the  disparity  in  their  ages,  and  brought  her 
in  triumph  into  his  kingdom.  But  the  two  persons  whom 
the  old  king  loved  best,  his  young  wife  and  his  youngest 
son,  were  distrusted  by  the  rest  of  his  family,  as  well  as  by 
his  people  ;  Judith  claimed  a  share  of  the  sovereign  power, 
according  to  the  old  custom  in  Britain  and  Germany, 
which  had  become  odious  to  the  Saxons  by  reason  of 
the  crimes  of  several  queens  ;  the  elder  sons  of  Ethelwulf 
feared  that  their  young  brother,  so  dear  to  their  father, 


40 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  III. 


might  be  raised  above  themselves ;  the  eldest,  Ethelbald, 
revolted,  and  his  father  found  a  general  rising  against  him 
when  he  returned  to  England.  The  old  king  did  not 
resist :  he  ceded  to  his  son  the  greater  portion  of  his  states 
and  died  at  the  end  of  two  years,  having  shared  equally 
between  his  sons  his  kingdom  of  Wessex,  previously 
enlarged  by  the  addition  of  Kent  and  Sussex.  The  tribu- 
tary states  of  Northumbria  and  Mercia  had  shaken  off  the 
feeble  authority  of  Ethelwulf  and  had  recommenced  their 
internal  wars.  The  Danes  profited  by  these  disputes,  and 
had  taken  up  with  renewed  ardor  their  terrible  incursions 
upon  the  English  coasts. 

In  this  alarming  situation  of  affairs  the  sons  of  Ethelwulf 
foresaw  that  the  division  of  Wessex  v/ould  be  their  ruin  ; 
instead,  therefore,  of  sharing  it  among  themselves  they 
agreed  that  each  should  reign  over  the  whole  in  turn, 
according  to  their  ages.  The  reigns  of  the  three  eldest 
were  short.  Supported  successively  by  their  brothers, 
they  fought  against  the  Danes,  and  all  died  in  the  flower 
of  their  youth  ;  the  last,  Ethelred,  was  still  on  the  throne, 
when  an  invasion  of  the  Danes,  who  penetrated  as  far  as 
Reading,  called  all  the  men  of  Wessex  to  arms.  The  war 
had  a  short  time  before  assumed  a  new  aspect ;  the  Danes 
did  not  content  themselves  with  descending  upon  the  most 
fertile  portions  of  the  coast  with  their  long  ships,  or  with 
taking  possession  of  all  the  horses.  Overrunning  tlie 
country,  they  ravaged  and  sacked  everything  in  their 
passage,  and  re-embarked  in  their  vessels  before  the 
frightened  inhabitants  had  had  time  to  rise  up  to  resist 
them.  From  pirates,  the  Danes  had  become  conquerors, 
and  desired  to  establish  themselves  in  that  England  which 
their  predecessors,  the  Saxons,  had  formerly  snatched  from 
tl.e  Britons.  Already  possessed  of  East  Anglia  and  a 
portion  of  Northumbria,  they  were  threatening  Wessex, 


Chap.  III.] 


THE  DANES, 


41 


and  had  intrenched  themselves  at  Reading.  Alfred  had 
recently  been  married  to  a  princess  of  Mercia,  but  his  new 
relations  did  not  give  him  any  support  against  the  Danes, 
Vv^hen,  having  beaten  several  detached  corps  of  the  pirates, 
Ethelred  and  Alfred  attacked  the  citadel.  The  greater 
number  of  the  Danes  sprang  outside  the  walls,  like 
veritable  wolves,''  says  Asser,  the  historian  of  Alfred,  and 
the  struggle  recommenced. 

The  Danes  were  nearly  all  tall  men ;  their  wandering 
and  adventurous  life  favored  the  development  of  their 
muscular  powers  ;  they  did  not  fear  death,  for  the  Wal- 
halla  or  Paradise  of  their  god  Odin,  promised  to  the  brave 
Avarriors  who  fell  in  battle  all  the  pleasure  which  they 
esteemed  most  on  earth.  The  figure  of  the  raven,  the 
confidant  of  their  god,  floated  on  the  red  flags  of  the 
Danes ;  if  its  dark  wings  fluttered  on  the  long  folds  of 
silk,  victory  was  certain  ;  if  they  remained  motionless,  the 
Northmen  feared  defeat.  The  wings  of  the  raven  were 
fluttering  triumphantly  before  Reading,  for  the  Saxons 
were  defeated  and  were  obliged  to  retreat. 

They  had  not  lost  courage,  however,  and  four  days 
later  they  returned  to  give  battle  once  more  to  their 
enemies  ;  the  Danes  had  already  issued  forth  from  their 
intrenchments,  but  Ethelred  was  still  in  his  tent,  attending 
holy  mass,  and  would  not  hurry  to  the  scene  of  battle,  in 
spite  of  urgent  messages  from  Alfred.  The  latter,  there- 
fore, attacked  their  opponents  single-handed,  opposite  a 
little  tree  which  the  Danes  had  chosen  as  a  rallying-spot. 
The  Saxons  fought  with  the  fury  of  despair;  Ethelred 
soon  came  to  support  his  brother,  and  the  Danes,  beaten 
upon  the  great  plain  of  Assendon,  took  to  flight;  but 
only  to  return  a  fortnight  afterwards,  their  number  swelled 
by  the  reinforcements  which  were  continually  arriving  by 
sea.    Wesscx  alone  had  sustained  eight  battles   in  one 


42 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,       [Chap.  IIL 


year ;  her  resources  were  becoming  exhausted  in  such  an 
unequal  struggle;  Etheh'ed,  wounded,  had  just  died,  and 
Alfred  found  himself  alone  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years 
(871),  subject  to  a  peculiar  illness  which  had  succeeded  to 
a  slow  fever  of  his  boyhood,  and  of  which  the  attacks 
would  frequently  bring  him  to  the  very  verge  of  the  grave. 
His  men  and  his  resources  exhausted,  a  ninth  and  un- 
fortunate battle  completely  disabled  him  ;  he  was  com- 
pelled to  sue  for  peace.  The  Danes  willingly  consented 
to  his  proposal ;  there  were  other  princes  to  vanquish, 
other  territories  to  conquer,  less  valiantly  defended  than 
Wcssex,  on  which  they  proposed  to  revenge  themselves 
when  it  should  stand  alone  in  its  resistance  to  them.  In 
875  they  had  finished  their  conquest;  Wessex  alone  still 
preserved  its  independence,  and  three  Danish  kings  who 
had  passed  the  winter  at  Cambridge  embarked  secretly, 
by  night,  to  attack  the  coast  of  Dorset.  Vainly  did  Alfred 
strive  to  resist  his  enemies  by  sea  ;  his  ships  were  beaten, 
and  soon  tlie  long  line  of  incendiarism  and  murder  which 
always  marked  the  progress  of  the  Danes  extended  as  far  as 
Warcham.  This  v/as  past  endurance,  and  Alfred,  stricken 
down  on  a  sick-bed,  asked  for  and  obtained  peace  at  the 
price  of  gold.  The  Danes  retired  after  having  sworn 
friendship  upon  some  relics  brought  by  the  Christian  king 
and  on  their  sacred  bracelets  steeped  in  the  blood  of  their 
victims,  exclianging  hostages,  whose  fate  they  troubled 
themselves  very  little  about.  The  very  night  after  peace 
was  concluded,  the  Saxon  horsemen  were  destroyed  and 
cut  up  piecemeal  by  the  Danes,  who  took  possession  of 
their  horses  in  order  to  make  a  raid  into  tlie  interior  of  the 
country.  The  remonstrances  of  Alfred  were  powerless  to 
stop  these  disastrous  expeditions,  so  easy  for  an  enemy 
who  threatened  the  country  from  all  sides. 

Alfred  took  to  arms  once  more ;  and  for  awhile  the 


Chap.  III.] 


THE  DANES, 


43 


issue  of  the  war  seemed  to  incline  in  his  favor ;  he  had 
been  the  first  to  see  the  necessity  for  attacking  the  Danes 
on  the  ocean,  which  was  incessantly  bringing  them  inex- 
haustible reinforcements,  and  his  vessels  having  met  the 
pirates  during  a  storm  had  defeated  and  dispersed  them, 
thus  cutting  off  all  hope  of  succor  to  the  Danes  v/hom 
Alfred  was  besieging  in  Exeter.  This  glimmering  of 
success  did  not  last  however ;  in  878  the  enemy  was  once 
more  invading  Wessex  in  two  formidable  troops ;  one  of 
them  v/as  stopped  and  even  defeated  by  some  faithful 
retainers  of  Alfred's,  but  the  second  army,  which  had 
entered  the  kingdom  by  land,  v/as  advancing  without 
opposition  from  town  to  town.  The  subjects .  of  Alfred 
were  weary  and  discouraged.  The  king,  on  whom  they 
had  founded  such  great  hopes,  had  lost  in  their  eyes  his 
prestige  ;  brave  but  uncertain,  he  had  not  profited  by  the 
advantages  which  his  military  genius  had  sometimes  given 
him,  and  his  people  complained  of  his  inflexibihty,  of  his 
pride,  of  the  severity  which  he  manifested  towards 
offenders  ;  of  the  indifference  which  he  displayed  towards 
the  unfortunate.  They  did  not  enter  with  any  spirit  into 
the  struggle  against  the  invaders,  and  the  Saxon  kings 
held  no  power  but  by  the  free  will  of  their  subjects.  The 
clergy,  who  v/ere  especially  hated  by  the  pagan  enemy, 
fled  to  France,  carrying  with  them  from  their  country  its 
relics  and  the  treasures  from  the  churches.  The  agricultural 
population  submitted  to  cultivate  the  land  for  the  Danes. 
The  latter  were  seeking  Alfred  ;  but  the  king  had  suddenly 
abandoned  his  post,  and  left  by  the  strup;gle  sick  and 
wounded  to  the  heart  by  the  defection  of  his  subjects,  he 
had  disappeared,  his  place  of  concealment  being  unknown 
and  not  even  suspected. 

The  fugitive  king  did  not  know  where  to  go.  Wander- 
ing from  forest  to  forest,  from  cave  to  cave,  he  went  his 


44 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  III. 


way,  trying  to  conceal  his  deep  disgrace,  learning  in  his 
cruel  wanderings,  as  his  historian  and  friend  Asser  says, 

that  there  is  one  Lord  alone.  Master  of  all  things  and 
all  men,  before  whom  every  knee  bends,  who  holds  in  His 
hand  the  hearts  of  kings,  and  who  sometimes  makes  His 
happy  servants  feel  the  lash  of  adversity,  to  teach  them, 
when  they  suffer,  not  to  despair  of  the  Divine  mercy, 
and  to  be  without  pride  when  they  prosper/' 

Alfred  wanted  confidence  in  God,  when  he  arrived  in 
the  island  of  the  Nobles  (Ethelingaia),  now  called  Athel- 
ney,  in  order  to  hide  himself  there  in  the  hovel  of  a  cow- 
herd. He  received  him  at  first  as  a  traveller  who  had  lost 
his  way,  and  ended  by  learning  in  confidence  from  his 
guest  that  he  was  a  Saxon  noble  of  the  court  of  King 
Alfred,  flying  from  the  vengeance  of  the  Danes.  The 
worthy  Ulfoath  was  perfectly  satisfied  with  the  explana- 
tion, and  allowed  the  fugitive  to  remain  at  his  house. 

His  wife  was  not  in  the  secret,  and  was  annoyed,  no 
doubt,  to  see  her  work  increased  by  the  presence  of  this 
unknown  guest.  She  would  ask  him  at  times  to  perform 
little  services,  and  would  leave  him  in  charge  of  some 
household  duties.  One  Sunday,  while  the  husband  was 
gone  to  lead  the  beasts  to  the  field  and  the  wife  was  busy 
with  several  little  matters,  she  had  left  some  loaves  or  thin 
cakes  by  the  fire,  which  were  baking  slowly  on  the  red 
stone  of  the  hearth.  Alfred  had  been  commissioned  to 
watch  them,  but,  absorbed  in  his  sad  meditations,  he  had 
forgotten  that  the  bread  was  burning ;  the  smell  warned 
the  housewife ;  she  sprang  at  a  bound  to  the  fireplace,  and 
quickly  turning  her  cakes,  she  called  out  angrily  to  the 
king,  Whoever  you  may  be,  are  you  too  proud  to  turn 
the  loaves  ?  You  will  not  take  the  slightest  heed  of  them, 
but  you  will  be  very  glad  to  eat  some  of  them  presently.'' 
Alfred  did  not  lose  his  temper;  he  laughed,  and  helped 


Chap.  III.] 


THE  DANES, 


45 


the  woman  to  finish  her  task.  A  few  days  later  the  cow- 
herd's wife  learnt  with  dismay  the  name  of  the  guest  whom 
she  had  thus  scolded. 

Some  of  the  faithful  subjects  of  Alfred,  pursued  by  the 
Danes,  took  refuge  also  in  the  island  of  Nobles,  where  they 
discovered  to  their  great  astonishment  their  king.  Secretly 
and  by  degrees  the  rumor  that  Alfred  Avas  living  spread 
through  his  family,  who  came  in  search  of  him.  The  little 
band  became  greater  day  by  day,  and  the  king  v/as 
beginning  to  gain  courage.  In  his  solitude  and  humiliation, 
God  had  taken  charge  of  this  great  soul  which  had  hitherto 
forgotton  Him,  and  which  regained  through  religious  faith 
the  necessary  energy  to  struggle  against  the  enemies  of 
his  country. 

The  Danes  had  not  profited  by  their  victory.  They 
had  established  themselves  in  the  conquered  country  as 
plunderers,  and  not  as  ov/ners.  The  inhabitants  of  Wes- 
sex  were  writhing  under  their  cruel  and  capricious  rule. 
They  had  now  forgotten  the  rigorous  acts  with  which  they 
had  reproached  Alfred,  and  regretted  that  the  Christian 
king  was  no  longer  at  their  head.  Exasperated  by  their 
sufferings,  the  Saxons  were  ripe  for  revolt. 

Such  were  Alfred's  prospects  when  he  began  with  his 
companions  the  work  of  re-establishing  himself  in  his 
country.  A  solid  bridge,  defended  by  two  towers,  ena- 
bled the  king  to  issue  out  easily  from  his  retreat  in  his 
fortress.  He  gathered  .  around  him  all  the  malcontents 
before  making  anybody  aware  of  his  identity,  and  without 
announcing  his  great  projects ;  each  day  he  saw  his  little 
army  swell  in  numbers,  and  he  defeated  the  Danes  in 
every  skirmish  which  he  chanced  to  have  with  them.  He 
tlien  went  back  to  the  island  of  Nobles.  It  is  even  said 
that  he  went  by  day,  disguised  as  a  minstrel,  into  the  very 
camp  of  the  Danes,  in  order  to  ascertain  their  numerical 


46 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND.      [Chap.  Ill, 


strength.  In  the  month  of  May,  878,  he  finally  decided 
to  attack  them  openly.  Secret  messengers  were  despatched 
through  the  neighborhood,  who  said  to  the  Saxons  : 
King  Alfred  is  alive.  Assemble  in  the  forest  of  Selwood, 
at  Egbert's  field ;  he  will  be  there,  and  you  shall  all  march 
together  against  the  Danes.''  The  Saxons,  desperate, 
were  rushing  there  in  crowds,  and  soon  Alfred's  standard, 
bearing  the  golden  dragon,  was  boldly  unfurled  before  the 
Danish  raven. 

The  secret  had  been  well  kept.  The  Danish  king,  God- 
run,  was  vaguely  aware  that  a  number  of  Saxons  were 
assembled  in  the  neighborhood,  but  he  knew  neither  how 
many  they  mustered,  nor  the  name  of  their  chief,  when  he 
found  himself  suddenly  attacked  on  the  plain  of  Ethan- 
dune.  The  Saxons  were  in  high  spirits  :  It  is  for  your 
own  sakes  that  you  are  about  to  fight,"  Alfred  had  said  to 
them.  Show  that  you  are  men,  and  deliver  your  country 
from  the  hands  of  these  strangers."  The  Danes  had  not 
had  time  to  recover  from  their  surprise  before  Alfred  was 
upon  them,  his  whole  army  following  him.  The  standard- 
bearer  was  pushing  to  the  front,  accomplishing  prodigies 
of  valor:  It  is  St.  Neots  himself,"  Alfred  cried,  designa- 
ting a  saint  held  in  great  reverence  by  the  Saxons,  and  an 
ancestor  of  his  own.  His  soldiers  gained  fresh  courage 
at  these  words ;  the  Danes  were  beaten,  and  pursued,  and 
they  perished  in  great  numbers.  King  Godrun,  shut  up 
with  his  court  at  the  fortress  of  Chippenham,  was  com- 
pelled to  surrender  after  a  siege  which  lasted  three  weeks. 
He  gave  hostages  without  taking  any  in  exchange,  a  pro- 
ceeding very  humiliating  to  the  Danes,  and  Alfred  wisely 
imposed  upon  him  an  agreement  useful  in  securing  the 
definitive  tranquillity  of  England,  if  not  consistent  with  the 
spiritual  welfare  of  the  Danes;  the  conqueror  exacted  that 
the  defeated  enemy  should  embrace  the  Christian  religion. 


Chap.  III.]  ALFRED  THE  GREA  T. 


47 


Godrun  and  his  son  were  baptized  and  settled  in  the 
portion  of  land  which  Alfred  conceded  to  them.  Finding 
the  impossibility  of  driving  from  the  country  the  whole 
of  the  Danes,  who  were  already  masters  of  the  land  in 
Northumbria,  in  Mercia,  and  in  East  Anglia,  Alfred 
hoped  to  accomplish,  by  the  aid  of  Christianity  and  his 
right  over  part  of  the  land,  a  fusion  of  the  Danish  and 
Saxon  races,  and  to  secure  by  that  union  a  kind  of 
rampart  against  any  new  Scandinavian  invasions. 

He  was  not  mistaken.  In  the  year  following,  a  Danish 
fleet  entered  the  Thames  ;  but  in  vain  did  the  warriors 
call  for  help  to  Godrun,  who  v/as  established  in  the  country. 
He  remained  deaf  to  their  voices,  and  they,  discouraged 
by  his  refusal,  went  away  again  and  pursued  their  ravages 
on  the  coast  of  Flanders. 

For  more  than  thirteen  years  peace  reigned  over  all 
England.  One  or  two  little  isolated  invasions  served  to 
exercise  the  energy  of  Alfred's  troops,  and  each  day  his 
forces  were  augmenting.  But  Godrun  was  dead,  and  a 
dangerous  enemy  now  threatened  the  Saxon  king :  the 
famous  pirate  Hastings,  already  advanced  in  age,  but  still 
passionately  fond  of  the  game  of  war"  was  encamped 
upon  the  coast  of  France,  at  Boulogne,  in  892.  Wherever 
he  appeared,  death  and  ruin  followed  in  his  wake.  The 
black  raven  always  unfurled  its  wings  for  him  ;  he  was 
always  assured  of  victory  before  the  fray  began.  He 
sailed  forth  in  the  spring  of  893,  and  instead  of  descending 
upon  the  lands  already  held  by  the  Danes,  he  disembarked 
in  Kent,  a  country  rich  and  fertile,  inhabited  entirely  by 
Saxons ;  and  dividing  his  army  into  two  corps,  he  lay 
awaiting  Alfred,  who  was  advancing  in  haste  to  resist  him, 

The  Danish  pirate  had  cleverly  organized  the  attack. 
Already  the  Danish  population  of  East  Anglia  were 
profiting  by  his  presence  to  attack  the  Saxon  towns ;  but 


48 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  III. 


Alfred  had  studied  too  well  the  art  of  war  to  disperse  his 
army  over  the  country ;  he  led  the  whole  of  his  available 
forces  against  Hastings.  There  the  greater  portion  of  the 
enemy's  army,  protected  by  a  forest  and  a  river,  were 
met  by  the  Saxon  king,  who  sent  out  at  the  same  time 
several  small  bodies  of  men  in  pursuit  of  the  Danish 
warriors  who  were  pillaging  the  country,  staying  by  these 
means  the  progress  of  the  invasion,  and  opposing  with 
exemplary  patience  the  ruses  of  the  barbarians.  Has- 
tings appeared  to  grow  weary  of  this :  he  asked  for 
peace,  and  sent  his  young  sons  as  hostages.  Alfred  had 
just  returned  them  to  him  after  having  baptized  them, 
when  the  Danes,  caring  little  for  their  plighted  word,  began 
to  march  towards  Essex,  which  they  intended  to  attack, 
passing  by  way  of  the  Thames.  The  king  hastened  at 
once  in  pursuit  of  them  and  to  the  support  of  his  eldest 
son,  Edward,  who  was  defending  the  frontier.  They 
joined  their  forces  ;  a  great  battle  was  fought  near  Farn- 
ham  in  the  county  of  Surrey;  the  Danes  were  vanquished 
and  driven  as  far  as  the  isle  of  Mersey,  which  they  fortified 
for  their  defence.  The  king  attacked  them  at  once  ;  but 
while  he  had  been  away  recruiting  his  forces  a  Danish 
fleet  threatened  the  coast  of  Devonshire.  Alfred  marched 
against  the  new  invaders,  while  the  forces  which  he  left 
behind  fought  against  Hastings,  and  in  a  sortie  got  posses- 
sion of  the  wife  and  children  of  that  chief.  These  were 
sent  to  Alfred ;  but  the  Christian  warrior  could  not  forget 
that  he  had  presented  the  young  barbarians  at  the  bap- 
tismal fount,  and  sent  them  back  to  their  father  loaded 
with  presents. 

The  pirate,  however,  was  not  overcome  by  his  foe's 
generosity.  He  attacked  Mercia,  sustained  by  the  Danish 
hordes  established  in  the  country.  Abandoning  all 
thought  of  the  conquests  which  he  had  originally  intended, 


Chap.  III.]         ALFRED   THE  GREAT, 


49 


and  the  kingdom  which  he  had  wished  to  found,  he  once 
more  took  up  the  irregular  invasions  by  which  he  had 
acquired  so  much  wealth,  and  thought  only  of  plundering 
the  Saxon  territory.  But  the  subjects  of  Alfred  had  learnt 
some  useful  lessons ;  they  rose  with  one  accord  against 
the  foreign  enemy,  and  when  the  king,  returning  in  haste 
from  Devonshire,  arrived  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Severn,  he 
found  himself  at  the  head  of  a  numerous  army  which 
allowed  him  to  completely  surround  the  trenches  of 
Hastings.  The  Danes  had  been  decimated  by  hunger : 
they  had  even  eaten  their  horses.  Making  a  last  desperate 
effort,  they  opened  up  a  passage  straight  through  the 
ranks  of  their  enemies,  and  took  refuge  in  Chester,  where 
they  spent  the  winter. 

In  the  spring-time,  the  long  vessels,  the  water-ser- 
pents,'' as  the  pirates  would  affectionately  call  them, 
invariably  brought  reinforcements  to  them.  In  895, 
Hastings  began  by  attacking  Wales,  finding  the  states  of 
King  Alfred  too  well  defended.  He  ended,  however,  by 
retreating  to  the  isle  of  Mersey,  from  whence  he  set  out  in 
896  to  establish  himself  on  the  river  Lea,  in  the  north  of 
London.  He  had  raised  a  fortress  and  there  defended 
himself  valiantly,  when  King  Alfred  perceived  that  he 
could  stop  all  the  enemy's  navigation  by  river.  He 
accordingly  constructed  a  canal,  and  reduced  the  Danes  to 
despair :  their  fleet  was  on  dry  ground.  They  abandoned 
it,  and  marched  in  a  northern  direction.  This  time  the 
old  pirate  was  beaten.  Wearied  by  this  struggle  against  a 
man  of  energy  equal  to  his  own,  and  in  the  enjoyment  of 
the  youth  and  vigor  which  he  no  longer  possessed,  he 
assembled  his  vessels  in  the  spring  of  897,  and  leaving 
definitively  the  English  coast,  he  ascended  the  Seine  and 
extorted  from  Charles  the  Simple  a  donation  of  land  in  the 

vicinity  of  Chartres.    He  established  himself  there,  and 
4 


50 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  III. 


Rollo  found  him  there  fifteen  years  later,  spending  in  peace 
the  remainder  of  his  stormy  hfe. 

The  Danes  who  remained  in  England  had  reacquired  a 
taste  for  adventurous  expeditions.  They  assembled  along 
the  coast  of  Northumberland  to  organize  an  attack  on  the 
southern  portion  of  the  kingdom  ;  but  Alfred  had  long 
resolved  to  fight  his  enemies  with  their  own  weapons. 
Having  ridded  himself  of  Hastings,  he  had  had  time  to 
look  to  his  navy,  and  the  Danes  found  themselves  opposed 
by  vessels  larger  and  more  rapid  than  their  own.  The 
struggle  began  on  all  sides.  Wherever  the  pirates  advanced 
to  the  attack  they  found  Saxon  vessels  to  check  them. 
The  contests  were  cf  frequent  occurrence  ;  they  were  not 
invariably  favorable  to  the  Saxons,  but  the  Danes  suffered 
great  losses  :  their  ships  would  often  founder  on  the  coast 
and  the  cargo  would  be  lost.  In  897,  the  last  Danish  ships 
disappeared  from  England.  Alfred  had  nov/  only  to  heal 
his  country  of  the  wounds  left  on  it  after  all  its  struggles, 
which  had  cemented  the  union  of  the  several  kingdoms,  in 
calling  them  all  to  the  common  defence  under  a  single 
chief  placed  above  them  by  reason  of  his  conspicuous 
ability.  After  the  war  wnth  the  Danes,  Alfred,  who  had 
merely  assumed  the  title  of  King  of  Wessex,  had  added  to 
his  states  Mercia,  Wales,  and  Kent. 

It  was  a  kingdom  composed  of  incongruous  elements  ; 
but  Alfred  understood  the  management  of  them  by  reason 
of  his  far-seeing  wisdom.  In  Mercia,  originally  peopled 
by  the  English,  he  established  a  viceroy  chosen  from  their 
royal  family,  the  Ealderman,  or  duke  Ethelred,  and  gave 
him  his  own  daughter  in  marriage.  When  Ethelred  died, 
after  having  faithfully  served  his  father-in-law,  the  Mercians 
themselves  placed  in  the  hands  of  his  widow  Ethelfleda 
the  reins  of  government. 

Kent  already  belonged  to  Alfred.    Its  unhappy  inhabi- 


Chap.  Ill]         ALFRED  THE  GREAT, 


5^ 


tants,  subject  more  than  any  others  to  the  Danish  invasions, 
had  displayed  the  most  passionate  affection  and  gratitude 
towards  the  prince  who  had  effected  their  dehverance. 
The  Welsh  chiefs  swore  allegiance  to  him.  Alfred  estab- 
lished one  of  them,  Amorant,  as  viceroy  of  Wales,  leaving 
him  thus  all  his  prerogatives  and  full  command  over  his 
subjects. 

While  he  was  thus  organizing  his  Saxon  kingdom, 
Alfred  was  maintaining  firm  and  friendly  relations  with 
the  Danish  kingdom,  which  he  had  allowed  to  be  estab- 
lished near  to  his  own.  The  propagation  of  Christianity 
amongst  the  pagans  was  his  principal  means  of  effecting 
the  fusion  of  the  races,  which  he  foresaw  and  which  he 
hoped  ardently  to  see  accomplished,  but  which  he  could 
not  completely  finish  during  his  own  lifetime.  Some  laws 
were  already  in  force  and  respected  by  both  races  :  the 
crime  of  murder  was  punished  in  the  same  manner  in  each 
state,  and  Alfred  caused  the  people  to  rigorously  respect 
the  treaties  which  bound  them  together ;  the  pirates  of 
East  Anglia  who  came  to  pursue  their  ravages  along  the 
coasts,  being  hanged  without  mercy.  The  Danes  estab- 
lished in  England  had  already  become  Englishmen  in  the 
eyes  of  Alfred,  and  were  compelled  to  observe  the  laws  of 
the  English  population. 

But  although  thus  providing  for  the  future,  Alfred  felt 
completely  safe  for  the  present.  The  Saxon  kings  had 
never  maintained  a  standing  army  :  at  the  time  of  an 
invasion,  when  the  necessity  for  defending  himself  or 
attacking  was  felt  by  the  sovereign,  he  would  send  into  tlie 
boroughs  and  through  the  country  a  messenger  carrying 
his  sword,  unsheathed,  who  would  cry  aloud  :  Whoever 
shall  not  wish  to  be  held  a  worthless  fellow,  let  him  leave 
his  house  and  come  and  join  in  the  expedition."  But  the 
day  after  the  battle  the  warriors  would  disperse,  and  if  the 


B»IVERSITY  OF  ILLINUtl 

LIBRARY 


52 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,        [Chap.  III. 


enemy  should  recommence  hostilities,  the  king  and  the 
country  found  themselves  unprepared.  Alfred  divided 
into  two  great  divisions  all  his  subjects  capable  of  bearing 
arms  :  one  was  always  on  a  war  footing,  ready  to  march 
against  the  enemy  ;  the  other  portion  of  them  would  work 
in  the  fields  and  cultivate  the  soil  until  the  very  day  when 
they  would  be  called  out  to  follow  the  golden  dragon, 
while  their  companions  would  disperse  and  quietly  retire 
to  their  cottages.  The  king  made  use  of  these  soldiers  in 
fortifying  towns,  in  constructing  citadels,  and  in  putting 
the  whole  country  in  a  position  to  defend  itself  It  was 
thus  that  he  was  able  to  withstand  the  attacks  of  Hastings, 
the  most  severe  which  England  had  as  yet  encountered. 

So  much  wisdom  and  foresight  on  the  part  of  Alfred, 
naturally  increased  his  regal  importance  and  authority. 
Until  this  time,  the  Saxon  kings  had  been  essentially 
warriors;  each  ealderman,"  or  chief  proprietor,  ruled 
supreme  in  his  own  district,  without  troubling  his  sovereign; 
the  clergy  were  nearly  upon  an  equality  with  the  king, 
and  the  offences  committed  against  a  bishop  were  punished 
with  the  same  penalties  as  those  committed  against  the 
king  himself  Alfred  re-estabhshed  the  royal  supremacy 
by  the  force  of  his  own  intellectual  superiority  ;  his  ealder- 
men  became  his  officers,  and  his  profound  piety,  as  well 
as  his  respect  for  the  clergy,  did  not  prevent  his  disengag- 
ing himself  from  any  servile  submission  to  the  Church. 
The  priests  had  suffered  and  trembled  more  than  any  other 
class  under  the  rule  of  the  pagan  Danes ;  they  obeyed 
without  a  murmur  the  orders  of  their  liberator. 

Justice  was  but  badly  administered  in  England,  divided 
though  it  had  been  for  a  longtime  into  tythings,  hundredths 
and  counties,  and  provided  with  local  assemblies  which 
corresponded  to  tlicse  territorial  denominations.  During 
the  troubles  which  the  Danish  invasion  had  caused,  and  in 


Chap.  Ill] 


ALFRED  THE  GREA  T, 


53 


the*  miseries  which  had  followed,  the  Saxon  proprietors 
had  ceased  to  attend  to  their  internal  affairs ;  they  neg- 
lected to  select  the  judges.  The  assessors,  or  free  men 
who  should  be  present  on  the  occasion  of  any  trial,  to  help 
the  judge  with  their  advice,  no  longer  answered  when 
called  upon  to  do  so ;  only  small  numbers  of  witnesses 
would  appear.  The  king  undertook  to  re-establish  order  ; 
he  himself  nominated  the  judges,  and  punished  them 
severely  when  they  ventured  to  give  any  decision  in  a  case 
without  previously  consulting  the  assessors,  whom  he  re- 
established in  their  original  form — the  germ  of  the  institu- 
tion now  known  as  the  jury.  He  was  not  even  satisfied 
with  all  these  cares ;  it  often  happened  that  he  would 
revise  the  sentences  of  the  judges,  so  zealously  did  he 
occupy  himself  with  the  administration  of  justice  in  his 
kingdom. 

The  judges  hitherto  had  been  charged  with  the  civil 
administration  as  well  as  that  of  justice ;  they  were  suc- 
cumbing under  the  weight  of  such  onerous  functions. 
Alfred  relieved  them,  however,  by  nominating  dukes,  earls, 
and  viscounts,  who  were  entrusted  with  the  administration 
of  justice  in  the  counties,  the  tythings  and  hundreds.  He 
himself  compiled  for  these  magistrates  a  code  of  laws 
borrowed,  some  from  the  old  mode  of  legislation  in  Kent, 
Wcssex,  and  Mercia,  and  others  from  the  Bible,  from  the 
books  of  Moses  as  well  as  from  the  New  Testament ;  and 
they  all  unmistakeably  bore  the  imprint  of,  and  were 
modified  by,  the  real  Christian  spirit  which  animated  the 
king. 

All  these  laws,  the  fruits  of  revealed  wisdom  or  of  the 
ancient  experience  of  the  people,  Alfred  submitted  for 
approval  to  his  subjects :  I  have  shown  these  laws  to  my 
wise  men,"  said  he  in  the  preamble  at  the  beginning  of  his 
code,    and  the  result  was  that  they  were  unanimous  in 


54 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,        [Chap.  III. 


wishing  that  they  should  be  observed.''  These  wise  ir^en, 
or  witans,"  forming  an  assembly  called  a  *Svitenagemote" 
(an  assembly  of  wise  men),  no  longer  represented,  under 
Alfred,  the  entire  nation,  as  in  the  time  when  the  Saxons 
still  preserved  in  their  simplicity  their  Germanic  institutions. 
At  that  period  all  the  free  men  (cearls),  whether  proprie- 
tors or  not,  composed  part  of  it.  By  degrees  the  free  men 
disappeared  from  it,  and  the  thanes,"  or  proprietors,  alone 
remained ;  but  the  lower  class  of  thanes,"  although 
invested  with  the  same  rights  as  the  royal  thanes,"  were 
less  wealthy  ;  it  was  more  difficult  for  them  to  leave  their 
affairs  in  order  to  repair  to  the  Witenagemote.  In  the 
time  of  Alfred,  these  great  proprietors  alone  made  up  this 
assembly  of  wise  men,  whose  functions  were  as  vaguely 
defined  as  the  number  and  the  periods  of  their  meetings 
were  uncertain,  but  who  thenceforth  maintained  in  England 
the  principle  of  a  national  representative  assembly,  or  the 
institution  whereby  the  country  undertakes  its  own  govern- 
ment, which  is  the  foundation  and  key  of  English 
history. 

While  Alfred  was  drawing  up  laws  of  an  equitable  and 
merciful  character,  while  he  was  rebuilding  the  ruined 
convents  and  churches,  and  erecting  new  ones,  he  did  not 
forget  the  poorest  and  most  unhappy  of  his  subjects. 
Slaves  were  numerous  in  England,  and  suffering  under  a 
heavy  yoke.  The  king  provided  for  their  protection, 
granting  to  them  the  right  of  enjoying  and  transmitting  to 
their  heirs  whatever  goods  they  might  have  acquired ;  he 
even  applied  in  favor  of  Christian  slaves  the  Biblical  law, 
granting  to  them  their  freedom  at  the  end  of  six  years  of 
servitude.  In  his  will  he  ordered  that  all  the  serfs  on  his 
entire  domains  should  be  emancipated.  His  example  was 
followed  :  the  serfs  and  the  emancipated  slaves  became 
day  by  day  more  numerous,  and  began  thenceforth  to 


Chap,  III.]        ALFRED    THE  GREAT, 


55 


form  in  England  the  lower  middle  class,  which  did  not  yet 
exist  anywhere  upon  the  Continent. 

So  many  efforts  and  so  much  foresight  must  necessarily 
have  proceeded  from  a  great  and  enlightened  mind. 
Alfred  had  neglected  nothing  in  order  to  add  to  his  stock 
of  knowledge.  He  had  not  studied  during  his  childhood, 
m  spite  of  his  ardent  desire  to  acquire  knowledge,  for  there 
were  no  intellectual  resources  at  the  court  of  King  Ethel- 
wulf.  The  ancient  kind  of  erudition  which  had  already 
been  remarkable  in  England,  where  the  means  of  study, 
at  the  beginning  of  the  eighth  century,  were  far  superior 
to  anything  of  the  kind  which  could  be  found  upon  the 
Continent,  had  become  extinct  during  the  wars  with  the 
Danes.  '^When  I  began  to  reign,"  wrote  Alfred  the 
Great  in  the  preface  to  his  translation  of  the  Pastoral  of 
Gregory  I.,  very  few  people  on  this  side  of  the  Humber 
could  say  their  daily  prayers  in  English,  or  could  explain 
in  English  a  Latin  epistle,  and  I  suspect  that  there  was 
not  a  greater  number  on  the  other  side  of  the  Humber." 
It  was  thus  that,  notwithstanding  his  eagerness  to  instruct 
himself,  Alfred  had  arrived  at  the  age  of  thirty-five  years 
without  understanding  Latin,  and  he  only  began  the  study 
of  it  in  884,  after  having  made  prodigious  efforts  to  secure 
masters  who  were  to  instruct  himself  and  his  people.  In 
the  way  of  embassies,  presents,  negotiations,  he  spared  no 
trouble  in  order  to  attract  John,  the  old  Saxon  of  the 
monastery  of  Corbie;  Grimbald,  monk  at  Saint-Omer ; 
and  Plecmund,  a  learned  Mercian,  who  had  taken  refuge 
in  a  solitary  island  of  the  county  of  Chester  during  the 
Danish  wars,  and  whom  he  made  archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury ;  finally,  he  invited  the  monk  Asser,  living  at  the 
extremity  of  Wales,  in  the  convent  of  St.  David,  and 
whom  he  soon  secured,  not  only  as  a  master,  but  as  a 
friend.    It  is  to  Asser  that  wc  owe  a  biography  of  Alfred, 


56 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND.      [Chap.  Ill, 


so  minute  in  its  details  that  it  proves  beyond  question  the 
great  intimacy  which  existed  between  the  monarch  and 
the  historian. 

Alfred  was  looking  about  in  all  parts  for  learned  men, 
and  was  studying  Latin  like  a  schoolboy ;  but  he  under- 
stood that  the  period  of  purely  classical  education  had 
passed  away.  His  childish  taste  for  Saxon  poetry  had  not 
been  obliterated,  and  his  reverence  for  his  native  tongue 
stimulated  him  to  spread  education  among  those  of  his 
subjects  who  were  not  in  a  position  to  devote  themselves 
to  the  Greek  and  Latin  languages.  It  has  appeared  to 
me  very  useful,''  he  wrote  to  Bishop  Wulfsege,  to  choose 
a  certain  number  of  books,  those  which  it  is  most  impor- 
tant to  render  easily  accessible  to  all,  and  to  translate  them 
into  the  language  which  we  all  understand.  We  shall  thus 
easily  insure,  with  God's  help,  and  if  peace  continues,  that 
all  the  youth  of  this  nation,  and  particularly  the  young 
men  of  rich  and  free  families,  shall  apply  themselves  to 
the  study  of  letters,  and  shall  not  sacrifice  their  time  in 
any  other  exercise  than  that  of  learning  the  Anglo-Saxon 
writers.  The  masters  shall  then  teach  the  Latin  language 
to  those  who  shall  wish  to  know  more,  and  to  attain  a 
higher  standard  of  instruction.  After  having  reflected 
upon  the  nature  of  this  instruction,  I  have  chosen  the  book 
which  is  called  in  Latin  Pastoralis,  and  which  we  call  The 
Book  of  the  Pastor,  The  learned  men  whom  I  have 
around  me  explained  it  to  me,  and  when  I  fully  arrived  at 
the  precise  meaning  of  it,  I  translated  it  into  Anglo-Saxon, 
sometimes  literally,  sometimes  taking  only  the  thoughts, 
and  writing  them  in  the  manner  which  appeared  best  in 
order  to  make  them  easily  comprehensible,  and  I  have 
sent  a  copy  of  the  work  to  each  bishop  in  the  kingdom." 

After  having  begun  this  great  work  of  clothing  in  a 
scarcely  formed  language  the  beauties  of  classical  literature, 


Chap.  III.]        ALFRED    THE  GREAT. 


57 


Alfred  did  not  remain  idle.  Impossible  labors  have  been 
attributed  to  him  ;  a  translation  of  the  entire  Bible  ;  the 
revision  of  a  portion  of  The  Saxon  Clirojiiclcs^  &c.  It  is 
positively  known,  however,  that  he  translated,  besides 
TJie  Pastor^  long  fragments  of  The  Soliloquies  of  St. 
Augustine,  which  he  called  Cnlled  Flozvcrs;  The  Ecclesi- 
astical History  of  Bede  ;  the  historian  Orosius  ;  and  the 
book  of  Boethius  on  The  Consolation  of  Philosophy,  There 
even  exist  of  his,  some  poems,  translations  or  rather  imita- 
tions of  the  verses  which  Boethius  liad  scattered  through- 
out his  book,  and  which  Alfred  often  altered  to  suit  his 
own  taste  and  the  tastes  of  the  race  of  men  for  whom  he 
was  writing. 

How  can  such  great  tasks,  w^hich  v/ould  have  sufficed  to 
fill  up  the  lifetime  of  an  author,  have  been  accomplished 
during  that  of  a  king  whose  reign  was  partly  taken  up  by 
his  wars  against  the  Danes  ?  The  good  order  which  pre- 
vailed in  all  the  undertakings  of  Alfred  can  alone  answer 
this  problem.  Subject  to  violent  attacks  of  sickness, 
loaded  with  work  and  with  cares,  he  had  divided  his  time 
into  three  parts :  the  first  belonged  to  his  regal  duties  ; 
the  second  to  his  religion,  to  prayer  and  study ;  the  third 
was  devoted  to  his  repasts,  to  sleep,  and  to  bodily  exercise  ; 
but  the  portion  allotted  to  sleep  was  very  short.  The 
king  was  often  awake  during  a  great  portion  of  the  night, 
and  having  neither  a  clock,  nor  a  sand  time-measurer,  he 
was  struck  with  the  idea  of  having  some  tapers  or  candles 
made,  which  should  burn  for  a  certain  time,  and  by  means 
of  which  he  should  be  enabled  to  count  the  hours. 
Unluckily,  however,  a  gust  of  wind  would  sometimes 
penetrate  into  the  royal  tent  and  make  the  candles  burn 
too  rapidly,  and  then  the  king  would  suddenly  lose  all 
means  of  reckoning  the  time,  until  the  sun  came  to  give 
him  its  infallible  direction. 


58 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,       [Chap.  III. 


His  strength  was  quickly  consumed  in  this  struggle 
against  human  weakness.  When  scarcely  fifty-two  years 
of  age,  Alfred  was  dying.  He  sent  for  his  son  Edward: 
Come  and  stand  beside  me,"  he  said ;  I  feel  that  my 
last  moment  is  near ;  we  must  part.  I  am  going  to 
another  world,  and  you  will  be  alone  with  all  my  riches. 
I  beg  you,  for  you  are  my  beloved  child,  strive  to  be  a 
good  master  and  a  father  to  your  people.  Reheve  the 
poor,  support  the  weak,  and  apply  yourself  with  all  your 
might  to  the  redress  of  wrongs.  And  then,  my  son, 
govern  yourself  according  to  your  own  laws  ;  then  the 
Lord  will  help  you  and  will  grant  you  His  supreme 
reward.  Invoke  Him  that  He  may  advise  and  direct  you 
in  your  difficulties,  and  He  will  help  you  to  accomplish  as 
well  as  possible  your  designs."  It  was  in  the  same  man- 
ner that,  three  hundred  and  fifty  years  later,  when  dying 
upon  the  shore  at  Tunis,  St.  Louis  recommended  his  son 
to  France.  Great  kings  and  great  Christians  both, 
although  very  different  in  character  and  ideas,  Alfred  and 
St.  Louis  both  deserved  the  name  of  pastors"  of  their 
people,  which  the  gratitude  of  Englishmen  has  accorded 
to  Alfred. 

He  died  on  the  20th  of  October,  901,  after  having 
reigned  twenty-nine  years,  and  he  was  interred  at  Win- 
chester, in  the  monastery  which  he  had  founded  there.  It 
is  not  there,  but  at  Wantage — at  the  spot  where  he  was 
born — that  the  grateful  memory  of  England  caused  the 
celebration  of  the  jubilee  on  the  occasion  of  the  thousandth 
anniversary  of  the  birthday  of  Alfred  the  Great.  On  the 
25th  of  October,  1849,  a  vast  concourse  of  people  went  to 
Wantage  to  do  honor  to  the  memory  of  a  king  so  much 
beloved.  The  assemblage  decided  on  the  publication  of 
his  complete  works,  a  monument  less  durable  than  the 
gratitude  graven  by  his  deeds  on  the  heart  of  his  people. 


Chap.  IV.]    THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS,  59 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS. — THE  CONQUEST  OF 
ENGLAND  BY  THE  NORMANS  (9OI  —  IO66). 


NE  hundred  and  sixty-five  years  elapsed  between 


the  death  of  Alfred  and  the  Invasion  of  England  by 
William  the  Conqueror.  Two  dynasties  reigned  during 
that  period  in  England:  first  the  Saxon,  which  numbered 
ten  sovereigns,  and  secondly,  the  Danish,  which  was 
represented  by  four  princes.  The  first  of  the  Saxon  kings, 
Edward,  the  son  of  Alfred,  did  not  enjoy  a  very  brilliant 
reign,  but  contrived  to  make  his  authority  recognized, 
with  the  help  of  his  sister  Ethelfleda,  widow  of  Ethelred, 
the  viceroy  of  Mercia.  He  drove  back  the  Danes  into 
their  territory,  a  portion  of  which  he  conquered,  and^  at 
the  death  of  his  sister,  he  annexed  Mercia  to  his  states, 
which  he  left  thus  augmented,  to  his  son  Athelstan,  when 
he  died,  in  925. 

This  young  prince  was  brave  as  well  as  able.  He 
placed  the  Welsh  tribes,  always  ripe  for  revolt,  under  sub- 
jection, and  imposed  upon  them  an  annual  tribute  of  gold, 
silver,  and  cattle  ;  he  repelled  the  people  of  Cornwall,  who 
had  never  been  thoroughly  subjected  by  Alfred.  But  the 
Danes  had  not  accepted  their  defeat.  King  Olaf,  who  was 
established  in  Northumbria,  and  who  had  recently  pushed 
his  conquests  so  far  in  Ireland  as  to  capture  tlie  town  of 
Dublin,  ascended  the  Humber  with  more  than  600 
vessels  :  the  Scots  at  the  same  time  attacked  the  frontiers, 
and  the  Britons  from  Wales  once  more  revolted.  So 
many  enemies  rising  suddenly  did  not  daunt  Athelstan. 
He  triumphed  over  his    opponents :  five  Danish  kings 


6o 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,       [Chap.  IV. 


remained  on  the  soil,  as  well  as  the  king  of  Scotland's  son. 
They  all  retired  into  their  territories,  there  to  remain  until 
the  end  of  the  reign  of  Athelstan,  whose  court  attained  a 
degree  of  luxury  hitherto  unknown  to  the  Saxon  kings. 
It  was  there  that  Louis  d'Outre-Mer  took  refuge  when 
driven  from  France,  and  it  was  thence  that  he  was  recalled 
to  the  throne  at  the  death  of  Charles  the  Simple.  All 
England  recognized  the  laws  of  Athelstan,  and  he  had 
taken  the  title  of  king  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,  instead  of  the 
less  assuming  one  of  king  of  Wessex,  Avhen  he  died  in  940, 
at  the  age  of  forty-seven  years,  leaving  the  throne  to  his 
brother  Edmund.  The  reign  of  the  latter,  like  that  of  his 
brother  Edred,  presents  nothing  remarkable  v/ith  the 
exception  of  a  series  of  battles  with  the  Danes,  who  were 
sometimes  daring  and  victorious,  and  sometimes  beaten 
and  repulsed.  At  the  death  of  Edred,  in  955,  the  Danes 
of  Northumbria  were  apparently  almost  entirely  subjected  ; 
their  chiefs  had  lost  the  title  of  kings,  and  their  territory 
was  governed  by  an  earl  chosen  by  the  Saxons.  The 
progress  had  been  great  since  the  time  of  Alfred. 

Young  Edwy,  the  son  of  Edmund,  was  only  fifteen 
years  of  age  wlien  he  succeeded  to  the  throne.  The  Danes 
left  him  in  peace;  but  he  commenced  a  struggle  against  the 
clergy  of  his  kingdom,  enemies  more  powerful  than  the 
Sca-Kings."  He  had  married  Elgiva,  a  young  and 
beautiful  princess  whose  family  was  related  to  his  own 
within  the  degree  of  kinship  prohibited  by  the  Church, 
and  he  refused  to  abandon  his  wife,  as  also  to  submit  to 
be  reproved  by  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  Odo,  who 
was  supported  by  the  famous  abbot  of  Glastonbury, 
Dunstan,  renowned  throughout  England  for  his  austere 
mode  of  living.  On  the  occasion  of  the  coronation  of  the 
young  king,  Dunstan,  being  annoyed,  retired  during  the 
banquet.    Edwy  flew  into  a  passion,  and  threats  were  so 


Chap.  IV.]    THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS.  6i 


quickly  followed  by  action,  that  Dunstan  was  obliged  to 
make  his  escape  and  was  immediately  pursued  by  the 
emissaries  of  the  king,  who  were  instructed  to  burn  out 
his  eyes. 

Archbishop  Odo,  however,  had  remained  in  England  at 
the  head  of  the  austere  party  of  the  Church.  The  dis- 
agreement between  the  king  and  the  clergy  was  growing 
more  and  more  serious,  when  a  revolt  of  the  Danes  took 
place  in  Northumbria  and  extended  into  Mercia.  Soon 
afterwards  Edgar,  a  younger  brother  of  Edwy,  until  then 
king  of  Mercia,  was  declared  the  independent  sovereign 
of  the  two  provinces.  Family  afflictions  assailed  the 
young  king  at  the  same  time  :  his  wife  had  been  seized  in 
one  of  his  castles  by  a  wandering  band  of  soldiers,  and 
carried  to  Ireland,  where  her  beautiful  face  had  been  dis- 
figured by  red-hot  irons.  Dunstan  had  just  reappeared  in 
England  after  a  short  period  of  exile,  at  the  time  when 
the  young  queen,  v/ho  had  been  tended  and  looked  after 
by  the  friends  whom  she  had  made  in  Ireland,  and  had 
now  recovered  from  the  effects  of  her  disfigurement,  was 
returning  to  England  to  rejoin  her  husband.  She  was 
stopped,  however,  near  Gloucester  by  her  implacable 
enemies,  who  no  doubt  credited  her  with  a  fatal  influence 
over  her  husband.  She  v/as  so  cruelly  mutilated  by  them 
that  she  died  a  few  days  afterwards.  Edwy  survived  her 
but  a  short  time,  and  died  at  the  age  of  nineteeii  in  958 
The  beauty  of  his  personal  appearance  had  gained  him  the 
title  of  Edwy  the  Beautiful. 

Wlien  Edgar  ascended  the  throne  of  his  brother  Edwy, 
Dunstan  shared  it  with  him,  and  whatever  may  have 
been  the  part  played  by  him  in  the  events  of  the  last  reign, 
the  authority  of  the  king  bore,  in  the  hands  of  the  monk, 
the  fruits  of  order  and  justice.  The  Danes,  attached  to 
young  Edgar,  who  had  been  brought  up  amongst  them, 


62 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  IV. 


submitted  voluntarily  to  his  authority.  Their  territory 
was  divided  and  placed  under  the  rule  of  several  earls ; 
the  fleet,  greatly  augmented,  kept  the  Sea- Kings  in 
constant  fear,  and  the  young  sovereign  of  England,  assisted 
by  his  able  minister,  who  had  become  archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  traversed  his  state  every  year,  presiding  at 
courts  of  justice  and  gathering  around  him  the  principal 
chiefs  of  each  province.  Ardent  and  ambitious,  Dunstan 
was  at  the  same  time  of  a  firm  disposition  and  character ; 
his  practical  knowledge  was  as  conspicuous  as  his  religious 
zeal.  He  was  one  of  that  great  race  of  priests,  whose 
influence,  preeminent  in  the  middle  ages,  was  the  source  of 
much  good  and  evil  alike,  until  the  period  when  the 
magnitude  of  their  pretensions  and  the  abuse  of  their 
power  brought  about  the  great  revolt  of  the  Reformation. 
It  was  under  King  Edgar  that  the  Welshmen  saw  their 
annual  tribute  of  gold  and  silver  commuted  for  an  annual 
presentation  of  three-hundred  wolves'  heads,  a  measure 
which  insured  the  destruction  of  these  ferocious  animals, 
who  were  very  numerous  in  England. 

King  Edgar,  who  was  under  the  authority  of  Dunstan, 
contrived,  however,  sometimes  to  escape  from  his  influence 
and  to  indulge  in  all  kinds  of  excesses;  but  the  archbishop 
on  such  occasions  would  reprove  him  severely.  He  im- 
posed upon  him  as  a  penance,  for  a  serious  transgression, 
the  disuse  of  his  golden  crown  during  a  period  of  seven 
years  —  a  severe  punishment  for  the  vain  Edgar,  who 
dearly  loved  to  bestow  upon  himself  titles  as  pompous  as 
those  of  the  Oriental  princes.  Death  soon  put  an  end  to 
this  penance.  Edgar  died  in  975,  leaving  two  sons.  The 
elder,  Edward,  who  succeeded  him,  had  been  born  of  his 
first  wife;  the  younger,  Ethelrcd,  was  the  son  of  the  beau- 
tiful but  treacherous  Elfrida,  for  whom  the  king  had 
conceived  a  violent  passion,  and  whom  he  had  married 


Chap.  IV.]     THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS,  63 


after  the  death  of  her  husband.  Edgar  was  even  accused 
of  having  wilfully  killed  the  latter  in  the  hunting- field. 

Whatever  crime  may  have  been  committed  by  the  king 
in  order  to  gain  the  hand  of  Elfrida,  the  expiation  fell  to 
the  lot  of  liis  children.  From  the  commencement  of  his 
reign,  the  young  Edward,  although  supported  by  Arch- 
bishop Dunstan,  sat  very  insecurely  upon  his  throne, 
which  was  undermined  by  intrigues  in  favor  of  his  brother 
Ethelred.  Three  years  after  his  accession,  Edward  was 
hunting  one  day  in  Dorsetshire,  when  he  conceived  the 
fatal  idea  of  paying  a  visit  to  his  brother,  who  was  then 
residing  in  Corfe  Castle.  It  may  be,  that  on  his  arrival  he 
was  struck  with  a  terrible  presentiment  at  the  sight  of  his 
step- mother  Elfrida,  for  he  refused  to  dismount,  and  asked 
only  for  some  refreshment  in  order  to  drink  to  the  health 
of  the  queen.  A  goblet  was  brought  to  him  ;  but,  while 
he  was  carrying  it  to  his  lips,  a  dagger  was  plunged  in  his 
back.  His  body  quivered  with  agony,  and  the  horse, 
alarmed,  rushed  away,  carrying  across  the  forest  the  body 
of  the  young  king,  held  fast  by  the  stirrups.  When  the 
body  was  found,  it  was  disfigured  by  the  shrubs  and  stones 
of  the  roads,  and  the  long  fair  hair  of  the  martyred  king 
was  clotted  Vvith  blood  and  dirt.  Queen  Elh'ida  had 
accomplished  her  object,  but  not  without  trouble ;  for  the 
young  Ethelred,  grieved  at  the  death  of  his  brother,  burst 
in  tears,  which  irritated  his  mother  to  such  a  degree  that 
he  nearly  fell  a  victim,  to  her  blows.  There  remained  no 
other  heir  to  the  throne ;  Dunstan  and  his  friends  decided, 
not  without  some  reluctance,  to  recognize  the  claims  of  the 
son  of  Elfrida ;  but  in  crowning  him,  Dunstan,  it  is  said, 
gave  utterance  to  some  sinister  predictions  concerning  tlie 
misfortunes  which  threatened  his  reign,  and  it  was  he  who 
gave  to  this  young  king  that  title  of  careless,"  which  the 
latter  seemed  only  anxious  to  justify. 


64 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,        [Chap.  IV. 


For  several  years  the  Danes,  who  were  estabhshed  in 
England,  seemed  to  have  identified  themselves  with  the 
Saxon  race ;  the  invasions  of  the  Norsemen  had  ceased, 
occupied  as  they  were  with  devastating  the  coasts  of 
France,  which  were  but  badly  defended  by  the  feeble 
Carlovingians.  But  a  new  dynasty  was  about  to  be 
established  in  France,  more  powerful  and  more  warlike 
than  the  descendants  of  Charlemagne.  Already  the  Danes 
began  to  return  to  their  old  habits,  and  to  turn  their  vessels 
tov/ards  the  English  coasts.  The  son  of  the  king  of  Den- 
mark, Prince  Svveyn,  resolved  to  seek  his  fortune  in  foreign 
lands.  A  band  of  bold  adventurers  gathered  round  him, 
and  after  several  little  preliminary  expeditions,  they 
landed  in  991  on  the  coast  of  East  Anglia,  between 
Ipswich  and  Maldon.  They  hoped  to  find  friends  there 
among  the  Danes  who  had  formerly  settled  in  that  terri- 
tory ;  but  Earl  Brcthnolte  who  was  in  command  there, 
although  a  Dane  by  birth,  remained  faithful  to  his  new 
country  and  religion ;  he  fought  valiantly  against  his 
brothers  from  across  the  seas,  and  was  killed  in  battle. 
King  Ethelred  became  frightened ;  he  sent  offers  of  money 
to  the  Norsemen.  The  latter  accepted  ten  thousand 
pounds  of  silver  which  they  stov/ed  away  in  their  long 
vessels ;  and  carrying  with  them  the  head  of  Count  Brcth- 
nolte, they  started  to  return  to  their  own  country.  But 
the  plan  of  defence,  so  often  resorted  to  by  the  Carlovin- 
gian  kings  in  France,  was  a  sure  means  of  bringing  back 
the  ''Sea-kings  the  following  year.  Soon  Ethelred  found 
himself  compelled  to  establish  a  regular  tax  which  was 
known  as  danegelt  "  (Danisli  money),  and  which  served 
to  pay  the  ever-increasing  tribute  exacted  by  the  pirates. 
Ii^  993>  the  Danes  of  Northumbria  and  of  East  Anglia 
rose  up  to  support  their  countrymen  in  invading  the 
country.    Sweyn  had  become  king  of  Denmark,  and  had 


Chap.  IV.]    THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS.  65 


the  whole  forces  of  that  country  at  his  command.  In  994 
his  ships  appeared  off  the  Enghsh  coasts,  accompanied  by 
the  vessels  of  Olaf,  king  of  Norway,  his  ally.  The  invaders 
encountered  no  resistance  from  the  king,  nor  any  serious 
opposition  from  his  subjects.  Silver  was  again  offered, 
but  this  time,  as  though  to  lessen  the  humiliation  of  the 
treaty,  the  Saxons  demanded  the  conversion  of  the  Danes 
to  Christianity.  Sweyn  did  not  hesitate  to  accede  to  this : 
he  caused  himself  to  be  baptized,  a  ceremony  which  was 
considered  very  unimportant  by  the  majority  of  the  pirates, 
some  of  whom  openly  boasted  that  they  had  been  washed 
twenty  times  in  the  baptismal  water.  But  Sweyn's  ally. 
King  Olaf,  who  was  sincerely  touched,  and  moved,  no 
doubt,  by  the  grace  of  God,  made  a  vow  never  to  return 
to  invade  England,  and  kept  his  promise.  Sweyn  re- 
appeared alone  the  following  years.  In  looi  the  Danes 
overran  the  country,  from  the  Isle  of  Wight  to  Bristol, 
without  meeting  with  the  slightest  resistance.  The  price 
of  their  withdrawal  that  year  amounted  to  twenty  thousand 
pounds  of  silver. 

The  Danes  had  disappeared ;  but  the  unlucky  king  of 
England  had  become  involved  in  fresh  difficulties,  through 
his  quarrels  with  Richard,  duke  of  Normandy.  A  fleet 
was  being  raised  against  him  on  the  Norman  coast  when 
Richard  died,  leaving  to  his  son  Richard  II.  the  burden  of 
carrying  on  the  war.  The  interference  of  the  Pope  put  an 
end  to  the  quarrel,  which  was  followed  by  the  marriage 
of  Ethelred  with  the  Countess  Emma,  sister  of  Richard, 
who  was  called  the  flower  of  Normandy."  Ethelred 
already  had  six  sons  and  four  daughters  by  his  first  wife. 

The  young  queen  had  just  arrived  in  England,  and  the 
rejoicings  were  scarcely  at  an  end,  when  a  prolonged  cry 
was  heard  throughout  the  country.    Either  by  a  sponta- 
neous movement,  or  in  consequence  of  secret  orders,  the 
5 


66 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  IV. 


Saxons  had  risen  in  every  direction  and  had  slaughtered 
the  Danes  who  were  estabhshed  in  their  midst,  and  whose 
reiterated  insults  had  become  unendurable.  "  A  Norse- 
man is  equal  to  ten  Saxons,"  the  Danish  lords  haughtily 
said  ;  but  the  ten  Saxons  united  had  triumphed  over  the 
Norsemen.  Taken  by  surprise  on  the  13th  of  November, 
St.  Brice's  Day,  ^*  women,  old  men,  and  children,  good 
and  wicked,  big  and  little,  pagans  and  Christians,"  suc- 
cumbed under  the  effects  of  the  popular  hate  and  revenge. 
The  sister  of  King  Svveyn,  Gunhilda,  who  had  embraced 
the  Christian  faith  in  order  to  marry  Palric,  Earl  of 
Northumbria,  a  chief  of  Danish  extraction,  saw  her 
husband  and  children  murdered  before  her  eyes,  and 
afterwards  encountered  the  general  fate  herself  ^'  My 
brother  will  drown  your  country  in  blood  when  he  re- 
venges me,"  she  exclaimed  when  dying. 

Gunhilda  had  not  been  mistaken.  Already  the  news  of 
the  crime  which  had  been  committed  in  England  had 
spread  to  Denmark  ;  an  immense  fleet  was  being  prepared. 
The  Norsemen,  actuated  this  time  by  their  thirst  for  re- 
venge as  well  as  by  their  natural  love  of  plunder,  w^ere 
gathering  eagerly  round  their  king ;  not  a  serf,  not  a  freed- 
man,  not  an  old  soldier  was  admitted  into  this  chosen 
band  ;  the  freemen,  in  the  flower  of  their  youth  and 
strength,  alone  had  the  privilege  of  avenging  their  bro- 
thers slaughtered  in  a  foreign  land. 

The  ships  of  the  Sea-kings  were  resplendent  with  the 
golden  and  silver  ornaments  with  which  they  were  decked, 
from  prov/  to  stern,  when  the  great  Dragon,  with  King 
Sweyn  on  board,  was  the  first  to  land,  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Exeter.  The  defence  of  the  town  had  been  entrusted 
to  a  Norman,  Count  Hugo,  who  had  come  from  France 
with  Queen  Emma.  He  betrayed  King  Ethclred,  and 
gave  up  the  town  to  the  invaders.    Having  pillaged  and 


Chap.  IV.]     THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS.  67 


burnt  down  Exeter,  the  Danes  spread  throughout  Wiltshire. 
On  arriving  at  a  farm  or  at  a  house,  or  a  vihage,  they  would 
order  the  trembling  inmates  to  prepare  a  meal ;  then, 
having  satiated  their  appetites  with  meat  and  mead,  they 
would  murder  the  inmates  upon  the  threshold  of  their  huts, 
which  they  would  then  burn  down,  and  remount  their 
horses  to  go  forth  and  extend  their  fearful  ravages. 

The  Saxon  king,  meanwhile,  was  organizing  an  army ; 
but  he  had  entrusted  the  command  of  it  to  the  Mercian 
Elfric,  the  chief  who  had  already  upon  a  previous  occasion 
betrayed  him,  and  whose  son's  eyes  had  been  put  out  in 
consequence  as  a  punishment.  Arrived  before  Sweyn  and 
his  army,  Elfric  declared  that  he  was  taken  ill,  and  recall- 
ing his  soldiers,  who  were  prepared  for  the  struggle,  he 
allowed  Sweyn  to  pass  with  the  enormous  booty  that  he 
was  going  to  place  on  board  his  ships  before  descending 
upon  the  Eastern  Counties,  which  all  suffered  in  the  same 
manner.  When  the  Danes  returned  into  their  country,  in 
1004,  they  were  escaping,  not  from  the  Saxon  arms,  but  from 
the  famine  which  their  ravages  had  brought  upon  England. 

In  vain  did  King  Ethelred  solicit  the  help  of  his  father- 
in-law,  Richard,  the  Norman  duke;  the  disdain  which  he 
evinced  towards  his  young  wife  had  irritated  the  Normans 
to  such  a  degree  that  their  duke  had  caused  to  be  thrown 
into  prison  all  English  subjects  who  happened  to  be  within 
his  dominion.  Ethelred  therefore  found  himself  alone  and 
a  prey  to  the  pirates,  who  reappeared  in  1006  upon  the 
English  coasts.  England  was  exhausted.  Scarcely  had 
the  Danes  left  a  house,  after  exacting  a  ransom  for  each 
member  of  the  family  and  for  each  head  of  cattle,  than  the 
king's  collectors  would  follow  in  their  steps,  demanding 
the  sums  necessary  for  paying  off  the  invaders,  and  impos- 
ing a  fresh  penalty  for  the  punishment  of  the  unhappy 
wretches  who  had  given  money  to  the  Danes. 


68 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,       [Chap.  IV. 


While  the  Saxon  king  was  plundering  his  subjects  in 
order  to  pay  an  ever-increasing  danegeld,"  while  the 
people,  exhausted,  were  writhing  under  the  double  extor- 
tion of  the  conquerors  and  of  the  legitimate  sovereign,  an 
old  man  was  enabled,  single-handed,  to  resist  the  demands 
of  the  proud  Danes.  The  archbishop  of  Canterbury, 
Elphege,  had  for  twenty  days  defended  his  town  against 
the  reiterated  assaults  of  the  enemy,  when  a  traitor  opened 
the  gates  to  the  Danes.  They  rushed  into  the  place,  mad 
with  anger  and  thirsting  for  revenge.  They  sent  for  the 
old  archbishop,  who  had  not  sought  refuge  in  any  hiding- 
place.  He  was  brought  forth,  bound  in  chains,  before 
their  chief,  Thurkill.  Buy  your  life,'*  cried  the  cliief, 
touched  with  compassion.  "  I  have  no  money,"  the  arch- 
bishop calmly  replied.  The  Danes  were  beginning  to 
close  round  liim.    '^He  is  a  servant  of  God,"  said  Thurkill ; 

perhaps  he  is  poor."  And  he  suggested  a  small  sum  as 
ransom  for  the  archbishop.  Prevail  upon  your  king  to 
collect  together  the  value  of  all  his  property,  so  that  we 
may  leave  England,"  he  added.  The  old  man  looked  at 
him  impassively.  "  I  have  not  the  money  which  you  ask 
for,"  he  repeated,  and  I  shall  not  urge  the  king  to  fur- 
ther oppress  his  people  in  order  to  purchase  your  depart- 
ure." The  eyes  of  the  Dane  flashed  with  anger;  he  no 
longer  endeavored  to  protect  the  archbishop  against  his 
soldiers.  But  the  firmness  of  the  old  man  had  produced 
a  wonderful  effect  upon  them :  he  was  led  into  prison 
without  suffering  the  slightest  injury.  Towards  dusk, 
when  he  was  alone,  his  brother  found  a  means  of  reaching 
him  ;  he  brought  the  sum  fixed  upon  for  the  ransom  of 
the  archbishop.  "  No,"  the  latter  said,  I  cannot  consent 
to  enrich  the  enemies  of  my  country."  The  Danes  came 
hourly,  urging  the  old  man  to  purchase  his  freedom. 
"  You  will  urge  me  in  vain,"  at  last  said  Elphege ;  "  I  am 


Chap.  IV.]     THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS,  69 


not  the  man  to  provide  Christian  flesh  for  pagan  teeth,  by 
robbing  my  flock  to  enrich  their  enemies."  The  pirates 
had  lost  all  patience ;  it  was  late ;  they  were  already 
heated  with  drink ;  they  dragged  the  old  man  out  of 
prison.  Gold,  bishop  !  Give  us  gold  !"  they  all  cried 
together,  and  they  closed  round  him  threateningly.  The 
old  man  was  silent ;  he  was  praying.  Hustled,  beaten, 
wounded,  the  archbishop  fell  upon  a  pile  of  bones,  the 
remains  of  the  rude  banquet.  His  enemies  seized  these 
primitive  v/eapons,  and  he  fell  under  their  blows.  A  Dane, 
to  whom  he  was  still  preaching  the  Gospel  an  hour  before, 
and  whom  he  had  baptized  with  his  own  hands,  at  length 
took  a  hatchet  and  put  an  end  to  the  old  man's  agony. 

While  Elphege  was  resisting  and  dying,  Ethelred  was  sub- 
mitting and  paying  an  enormous  sum  of  money,  abandoning 
at  the  same  time  several  counties  to  the  Danes.  Thurkill  set- 
tled in  England,  after  swearing  fidelity  to  the  Saxon  monarch. 
His  conquests  excited  the  envy  of  Sweyn.  In  the  follow- 
ing year  a  large  fleet  appeared  in  the  Humber,  and  landed 
near  York.  This  time  the  invaders  planted  their  lances 
in  the  ground  or  threw  them  into  the  rivers,  to  intimate 
that  they  took  possession  of  the  soil.  The  Saxons  oftered 
no  resistance.  Sweyn  had  overrun  all  the  Midland  and 
Northern  Counties,  and,  leaving  the  fleet  to  the  care  of 
his  son  Canute,  he  marclied  towards  the  South.  He  was 
stopped  near  London,  where  the  king  had  taken  refuge, 
and  where  the  brave  citizens  stood  firm  behind  their  mas- 
sive walls.  Sweyn  did  not  attempt  to  conquer  their  town ; 
he  turned  towards  the  West,  and  all  Devonshire  received 
him  with  open  arms.  He  was  proclaimed  king  at  Bath. 
Ethelred  was  gradually  losing  the  little  power  which  he 
still  retained.  He  suddenly  left  London,  which  surrendered 
soon  afterwards,  and  he  took  refuge  in  the  Isle  of  Wight. 
PVom  thence  he  sent  his  wife  Emma  to  Normandy  with 


70 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  IV. 


the  two  sons  whom  she  had  borne  to  him,  Edward  and 
Alfred.  In  spite  of  his  disagreements  with  his  brother-in-' 
law,  the  duke  Richard  received  his  sister  with  so  much 
kindness  that  Ethelred  soon  followed  her,  and  arrived  at 
Rouen  while  Sweyn  was  taking  the  title  of  King  of  Eng- 
land (January,  1013). 

Titles  are  easily  taken,  but  conquests  are  sometimes 
difficult  to  keep.  Six  weeks  after  the  flight  of  the  Saxon 
king  the  Danish  king  died  suddenly  at  Gainsborough,  and 
the  power  was  slipping  from  the  hands  of  his  son  Canute. 
The  nobility  and  people  of  England  had  recalled  Ethch'ed 
to  the  throne ;  they  added,  however,  the  words  provid- 
ing that  he  will  govern  us  better  than  heretofore.''  The 
king  did  not  rely  entirely  upon  the  promises  of  his  subjects. 
He  sent  his  son  Edward  to  negotiate  with  the  principal 
chief.  When  he  re-entered  London  his  first  care  was  to 
declare  that  no  Danish  prince  could  have  any  pretensions 
to  the  throne  ;  but  Canute  had  already  been  proclaimed 
king  by  his  army  and  by  the  Danes  established  in  Eng- 
land, and  the  war  had  recommenced.  Ethelred  died  in 
the  year  1016,  in  the  midst  of  all  this  confusion,  and  at  the 
time  when  the  Danes  were  preparing  to  lay  siege  to 
London. 

Three  sons  by  his  first  wife  yet  remained  to  Ethelred. 
One  of  them,  Edmund,  called  Ironsides,"  on  account  of 
his  strength  and  prowess,  had  already  commanded  the 
armies  during  the  lifetime  of  his  father;  he  was  proclaimed 
king.  But  the  country  was  divided  :  the  Danes  established 
throughout  the  kingdom  were  powerful  and  numerous ; 
treason  crept  even  into  the  most  intimate  councils  of  the 
new  king.  Twice  he  delivered  London  when  besieged; 
he  fought  five  pitched  battles,  and  repulsed  on  several 
occasions  the  Danes,  driving  them  northwards.  At 
length  he  proposed  to  Canute  that  they  should  decide 


Chap.  IV.]    THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS,  71 


their  pretensions  to  the  crown  by  the  fate  of  arms  in 
a  single  cornbat.  Unhke  the  majority  of  his  race,  Ca- 
nute was  not  tall,  and  he  was  quite  unfitted  to  sustain 
a  struggle  against  the  gigantic  stature  of  Edmund.  Let 
us  rather  divide  the  kingdom,  as  our  ancestors  did  before 
us,'*  he  said.  The  two  armies  received  this  proposition  with 
acclamation.  The  North  of  England  was  allotted  to  Ca- 
nute, and  Edmund  contented  himself  with  the  South,  with 
a  nominal  right  of  sovereignty  over  the  whole  kingdom. 
One  month  afterwards,  the  Saxon  king  was  dead,  and 
Canute,  convoking  the  wittenagemot "  of  the  South, 
protested  that  the  treaty  contained  no  stipulation  in  favor 
of  Edmund's  heirs.  The  chiefs  declared  themselves  of  the 
same  opinion  ;  the  Dane  was  proclaimed  King  of  all  Eng- 
land, and  the  children  of  Ironsides  were  placed  in  his  hands. 

Canute  had  proclaimed  an  amnesty ;  but  on  seizing 
power,  he  immediately  proscribed  all  the  partisans  of 
Edmund  whom  he  did  not  put  to  death.  Whoever  brings 
me  the  head  of  an  enemy  shall  be  dearer  to  me  than  a 
brother,"  said  he.  Many  heads  were  brought  to  him. 
The  wittenagemot  which  had  until  then  excluded  from 
the  throne  all  the  Danish  princes,  voted  the  same  sentence 
against  the  Saxon  princes.  Canute,  however,  had  not 
assassinated  the  children  of  Edmund ;  he  sent  them  to  his 
ally,  the  king  of  Sweden  ;  no  doubt,  with  sinister  inten- 
tions; but  the  innocence  and  beauty  of  his  victims  touched 
the  heart  of  the  proud  Scandinavian :  he  could  not  keep  them 
by  his  side,  and  he  therefore  sent  them  to  the  court  of  the 
king  of  Hungary,  St.  Stephen,  who  received  them  kindly 
and  brought  them  up  carefully.  One  of  them,  Edmund, 
died  early ;  the  second,  Edward,  subsequently  married 
Agatha,  daughter  of  the  emperor  of  Germany,  and  we 
shall  see  his  children  reappear  in  history. 

The  Duke  Richard  of  Normandy  did  not  protest,  in  the 


72 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  IV. 


name  of  his  nephev/s,  against  the  elevation  of  Canute  ;  on 
the  contrary,  he  even  offered  his  sister,  widow  of  Ethel- 
red,  in  marriage  to  the  Dane.  Canute  accepted  this  offer, 
and  the  Norman  princess  found  herself  placed  for  the 
second  time  on  the  throne  of  England,  which  was  so  dear 
to  her  heart  that,  in  order  to  reach  it,  she  stifled  all  her 
natural  instincts.  As  soon  as  she  had  borne  a  son  to 
Canute,  she  lost  all  affection  for  the  children  whom  she 
had  left  in  France,  and  who  became  more  and  more  Nor- 
mans by  habit  during  their  prolonged  absence  from 
England. 

Power  has  different  effects  upon  different  men :  it 
hardens  and  corrupts  some,  while  it  humanizes  and  exalts 
others.  Canute  made  good  use  of  his  power,  and  when 
he  was  delivered  from  the  enemies  whom  he  dreaded  most, 
his  government  became  less  severe  and  more  regular  than 
that  of  the  recent  Saxon  kings.  The  English  foUov/ed 
their  new  chief  in  all  his  wars,  and  fought  valiantly  at  his 
side  to  secure  to  him  the  crowns  of  Denmark,  Sweden  and 
Norway.  The  viceroy  of  Wales  refused  to  render  homage 
to  Canute,  whom  he  treated  as  a  usurper ;  Malcolm,  king 
of  Scotland,  upheld  the  rights  of  the  descendants  of 
Ethelred  to  the  throne  of  England.  The  Normans  did 
not  lend  any  help  in  these  demonstrations,  and  Canute 
triumphed  over  the  Welsh  and  the  Scotch. 

The  influence  of  the  Christian  religion  was  slowly  but 
surely  producing  a  good  effect  on  the  fierce  Danes. 
Sweyn  had  been  baptized,  but  he  had  afterwards  sunk 
again  into  pagan  practices.  His  son  constructed  churches 
and  monasteries,  and  made  a  solemn  pilgrimage  to  Rome, 
on  foot  and  with  a  wallet  on  his  back  to  obtain  forgiveness 
for  the  crimes  which  he  had  committed.  Already,  in  the 
midst  of  a  warlike  life,  a  sense  of  justice  seemed  to  have 
developed  itself  in  his  soul :  he  had  been  guilty  of  killing 


Chap,  IV.]     THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS.  73 


a  soldier  in  an  outburst  of  passion ;  he  descended  from  his 
throne,  convoked  his  chiefs,  and  asked  them  to  impose  a 
penalty  upon  him.  All  remained  silent.  The  king  insist- 
ed, however,  promising  not  to  be  offended.  The  chiefs 
left  it  to  his  own  discretion,  and  Canute  condemned  him- 
self to  pay  a  fine  of  three  times  as  much  as  the  sum  fixed 
by  the  Danish  law,  as  the  penalty  for  murdering  a  soldier, 
adding  at  the  same  time  nine  golden  talents  as  compen- 
sation. 

Having  returned  to  England  after  his  pilgrim.age  to 
Rome  and  a  journey  to  Denmark,  Canute  applied  himself 
to  the  administration  of  the  laws  which  he  had  promul- 
gated. "  I  will  have  no  money  acquired  by  unjust 
means,"  he  had  said  in  a  letter  to  Archbishop  Elfric.  Tiie 
latter  portion  of  the  reign  of  the  Dane  was  not  characterized 
by  any  crime  or  act  of  oppression.  Canute  had  learnt 
that  there  was  a  tribunal  above  to  v/hich  he  owed  respect 
and  submission.  One  day  as  his  courtiers  were  over- 
rating his  power,  the  king  ordered  that  his  throne  should  be 
placed  upon  the  margin  of  the  sea.  The  tide  was  rising  : 
Canute,  seated  on  the  beach,  ordered  the  waves  to  stop 
in  their  onward  course.  Ocean,"  he  said,  the  earth 
upon  which  I  sit,  is  mine ;  you  form  a  portion  of  my 
dominions;  do  not  rise  as  far  as  my  feet;  I  forbid  you." 
The  sea  still  continued  rising  ;  it  was  already  bathing  the 
king's  mantle,  when  he  turned  to  his  flatterers.  "  You 
see,"  he  said,  "  what  human  power  is  compared  to  that  of 
Him  who  says  to  the  sea  :  '  Thou  shalt  go  no  further.'  " 
And,  depositing  his  golden  crown  in  the  cathedral  of 
Winchester,  he  refused  thereafter  to  wear  that  emblem  of 
sovereignty. 

Canute  died  in  1035,  leaving  three  sons:  Harold  and 
Sweyn,  born  of  a  Danish  mother ;  and  Hardicanute,  son 
of  Princess  Emma.    He  had  divided  his  states  among  his 


74 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  IV. 


children,  leaving  England  to  Harold,  Denmark  to  Hardi- 
canute,  and  Norway  to  Sweyn.  These  two  last  princes 
already,  no  doubt,  exercised  some  authority  in  their 
dominions,  for  both  were  in  the  North  when  their  father 
died.  But  England  was  wont  to  have  a  voice  in  questions 
of  succession,  and  Canute  left  behind  him  a  powerful 
favorite,  who  was  inclined  to  further  the  interests  of 
Hardicanute.  This  favorite  was  Earl  Godwin,  a  nobleman 
of  Saxon  extraction,  formerly  but  a  simple  herdsman  in 
the  county  of  Warwick.  During  the  struggle  between 
Edmund  and  Canute,  a  Danish  chieftain,  named  Ulf,  had 
lost  his  way  in  a  forest,  in  the  evening  after  a  battle.  He 
had  walked  in  vain  all  night  when,  at  daybreak,  he  met  a 
young   countryman  who  was  driving  a  herd  of  cattle. 

What  is  your  name  ?"  asked  the  Dane.  I  am  God- 
win, son  of  Ulfuoth,"  said  the  young  man,  and  you  are  a 
Danish  soldier."  The  warrior  hesitated.  It  is  true,"  he 
said  at  length.  But  could  you  tell  me  the  way  to  my 
countrymen's  ships,  on  the  sea  coast  ?"  Godwin  shook 
his  head.  He  is  a  very  foolish  Dane,"  he  said,  **who 
expects  a  favor  from  a  Saxon."  And  he  hurried  on  his 
cattle.  Ulf  insisted.  There  are  many  of  my  country 
men  close  to  us,"  replied  the  herdsman ;  they  would 
spare  neither  me  nor  you  if  they  should  meet  us."  The 
chieftain  silently  offered  him  the  heavy  golden  ring  which 
he  wore  on  his  finger.  Godwin  looked  at  him.  I  will 
accept  nothing  from  you,"  he  said  ;  but  I  will  try  and 
show  you  the  way." 

They  came  to  Godwin's  hut.  He  invited  the  Dane  in. 
"  Remember,"  said  the  herdsman's  father  to  the  Dane, 

that  he  is  my  only  son,  and  that  he  sacrifices  his  safety 
for  you.  Try  and  find  employment  for  him  at  your  king's 
court."  Ulf  promised  to  do  so,  and  kept  his  word. 
Canute  toolc  a  fancy  to  the  young  Saxon,    who  had 


Chap.  IV.]     THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS.  75 


attained  the  rank  of  governor  of  a  province  when  the  kiiig 
died.  He  immediately  declared  himself  in  favor  of  the 
son  of  Emma,  who  was  not  so  thoroughly  Danish  as  his 
brothers.  Leofric,  governor  of  Mercia,  took  up  the  cause 
of  Harold,  in  common  with  all  the  Northern  chiefs.  The 
town  of  London  followed  their  example.  War  was  about 
to  break  out ;  but  the  Wittenagemote  convoked  at  Ox- 
ford allotted  all  the  provinces  North  of  the  Thames  to 
Harold  ;  and  those  on  the  South  to  Hardicanute. 

While  Queen  Emma  and  Godwin  were  thus  striving  to 
secure  the  power  for  the  young  king  of  Denmark,  the  latter 
lingered  in  his  Northern  possessions,  and  had  not  yet 
set  his  foot  in  England.  His  Norman  brothers,  sons  of 
Ethelred  and  Emma,  had  been  more  prompt.  Scarcely 
had  the  news  of  the  death  of  Canute  reached  Normandy, 
when  the  elder  of  the  two  princes,  Edward,  who 
subsequently  became  Edward  the  Confessor,  landed  at 
Southampton  with  a  few  ships.  But  Queen  Emma's 
natural  affection  was  confined  to  her  son  by  Canute :  she 
raised  the  country  against  her  eldest  child,  who  was 
obliged  to  retire  precipitately.  His  ill-success  did  not 
discourage  his  brother  Alfred,  and,  the  following  year 
(1037),  ^^^^  two  princes  received  a  letter,  coming,  it  was 
said,  from  their  mother,  urging  them  to  come  secretly  to 
England,  where  the  people  were  anxious  to  have  a  king 
of  Saxon  origin  to  rule  over  them.  Alfred  immediately 
embarked  for  England,  followed  by  some  troops  from 
Normandy  and  Boulogne. 

He  landed  in  the  neighborhood  of  Herne  Bay.  Godwin 
had  come  to  meet  him  and  appeared  friendly ;  but,  either 
from  premeditated  treason,  or  from  annoyance  at  seeing 
the  strangers  who  accompanied  the  prince,  Godwin 
altered  his  mind,  and  took  Alfred  to  Guildford,  lodging 
the  Normans  in  the  houses  of  that  town.    In  the  dead  of 


76 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  IV. 


night,  while  the  httle  band  of  soldiers  were  asleep, 
Harold's  soldiers  surrounded  Guildford ;  the  Normans 
were  made  prisoners,  Godwin  meanwhile  not  appearing  on 
the  scene  to  defend  them,  and  a  fearful  massacre  took 
place  at  daylight.  Six  hundred  men,  it  is  said,  were 
slaughtered  in  cold  blood,  and  the  unhappy  Alfred  was 
dragged  to  London,  from  whence  Harold  sent  him,  bound 
hand  and  foot,  to  the  isle  of  Ely.  He  appeared  before  a 
Danish  council  of  war,  and  was  condemned  to  have  his 
eyes  put  out,  as  a  disturber  of  the  public  peace.  He  died 
a  few  days  afterwards.  Harold  soon  sent  Queen  Emma 
into  exile,  and  Godwin  having  sworn  allegiance  to  him,  he 
w^as  proclaimed  king  of  all  England,  not,  however,  with- 
out some  dissatisfaction  on  the  part  of  the  Saxons.  The 
archbishop  of  Canterbury,  Ethelnoth,  who  was  a  Saxon, 
refused  to  crown  him.  Depositing  on  the  altar  the  royal 
emblems,  he  exclaimed  :  I  will  not  give  them  to  you. 
I  do  not  forbid  you  to  take  them,  but  I  refuse  to  bestow 
my  benediction  upon  you,  and  no  bishop  shall  consecrate 
your  throne."  It  is  said  that,  thereupon,  Harold  seized 
the  crown,  and  placed  it  upon  his  head  with  his  own 
hands.  Some  chroniclers  state  that  he  subsequently  found 
favor  with  the  archbishop  ;  but  the  Dane  was  more  than 
half  pagan ;  he  had  abandoned  the  Christian  Church. 
When  divine  service  was  being  celebrated,  when  the  bells 
were  ringing,  and  the  priests  were  mounting  the  altars,  he 
would  let  loose  his  dogs,  and  start  for  the  forest  to  enjoy 
the  pleasure  of  hunting  or  racing ;  a  fondness  for  which 
pastimes  won  him  the  name  of  Harefoot."  He  died  in 
1040,  at  the  time  when  his  brother  Hardicanute  had  just 
repaired  to  Elandcrs,  where  Queen  Emma  had  taken 
refuge,  to  consult  her  preparatory  to  attempting  an  in- 
vasion of  England.  Soon  afterwards  an  embassy  of 
Danish  chieftains  and  English  counts  came  unsolicited  and 


Chap.  IV.]    THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS,  77 


offered  him  his  brother's  throne.  He  thereupon  came  to 
England  with  his  mother. 

Hardicanute,  like  his  predecessors,  was  thoroughly 
Danish  by  nature ;  he  gave  himself  up  to  the  pleasures  of 
the  table,  surrounding  himself  at  the  same  time  by  the 
chieftains  whom  he  had  brought  over  with  him  from  the 
North  ;  despising  and  oppressing  the  Saxons,  from  whom 
he  still  exacted  danegelt,  as  in  the  old  times  of  the  inva- 
sions. He  had  attributed  his  brother's  misfortunes  to 
Godwin  ;  but  the  count  had  been  able  to  justify  him.self 
before  a  council,  in  spite  of  public  opinion  which  con- 
demned him.  The  presents  which  he  had  offered  to  the 
king  had  had  the  effect  of  putting  an  end  to  the  prosecu- 
tion. Hardicanute  had  accepted  from  him  a  magnificent 
ship  covered  with  burnished  metal,  ornamented  v/ith  gold, 
and  manned  by  eighty  warriors  furnished  with  every  kind 
of  weapon.  By  degrees  power  had  returned  entirely  into 
the  hands  of  Godwin  and  Emma,  when,  in  1042,  Hardica 
nute,  at  a  banquet,  fell  a  victim  to  the  excesses  of  every 
kind  to  which  he  was  accustomed. 

The  Saxon  earl  had  resolved  to  deliver  his  country  from 
the  Danish  yoke.  He  immediately  sent  for  Prince  Ed- 
ward, wlio  was  still  in  Normandy,  and  was  more  a  monk 
tlian  a  prince.  The  popular  feeling  in  his  favor  which 
enabled  Edward  to  return  to  England,  was  shared  and 
fostered  by  the  very  man  to  whom  he  attributed  his 
brother's  death  ;  but  the  new  king  was  powerless  and  a 
stranger  in  the  country  which  recalled  him  after  an  exile 
wliich  he  had  endured  during  nearly  the  whole  of  his  life- 
time. He  dissembled  and  accepted  the  hand  of  Edith, 
daughter  of  Godwin,  a  good  and  gentle  princess,  who 
was  born  of  Godwin  as  the  rose  is  born  in  the  midst  of 
thorns,"  the  chroniclers  say.  Edward  was  always  cold 
towards  her,  and  he  manifested  something  more  than 


78 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  IV. 


coldness  towards  Queen  Emma.  He  could  not  forget 
how  she  had  repulsed  him,  and  how  slie  had  failed  to  do 
anything  to  defend  her  son  Alfred — even  if  she  had  not 
actually  allured  him  to  his  ruin.  He  ordered  her  to  re- 
main within  her  domains,  which  had  been  greatly  reduced, 
and  refused  to  see  her  any  more. 

The  power  which  Edward  had  regained  was,  how^ever, 
scarcely  more  than  nominal.  The  Great  Earl,"  as  God- 
win was  called,  had  exacted  the  value  of  his  services. 
He  and  his  six  sons  held  possession  of  nearly  all  the  South 
cf  England.  Besides  this,  his  rival.  Earl  Leofric,  was  all 
powerful  in  Mercia.  Siward  held  the  whole  of  the  North, 
from  the  Humber  to  the  frontiers  of  Scotland.  Happily 
for  the  king,  all  these  chieftains  were  opposed  to  each 
other.  Edward  took  advantage  of  their  rivalries,  trying 
from  time  to  time  to  redress  the  wa'ongs  of  the  people, 
\n\\o  were  oppressed  and  deprived  of  all  power.  But  in 
vain  did  he  suppress  the  danegelt;  in  vain  did  he  inspire 
an  almost  superstitious  veneration  towards  himself  in  his 
subjects  by  reason  of  the  austerity  of  his  life  :  the  English 
never  forgave  him  for  the  affection  which  he  manifested 
towards  the  Normans  and  his  preference  for  them,  which 
induced  him  not  only  to  surround  himself  with  the  friends 
of  his  younger  days,  but  to  lavish  all  the  favors  on  them 
wdiich  he  had  at  his  disposal.  The  king's  ordinary  con- 
versation was  carried  on  in  the  Norman  language;  he 
dressed  in  Norman  fashion  ;  he  raised  to  clerical  dignities 
the  Norman  priests  who  had  come  over  with  him,  and 
thus  contrived  to  excite  considerable  jealousy  in  the 
people,  all  which  increased  the  influence  of  Godwin. 

An  event  happened  which  caused  their  animosity  to 
break  out  openly.  Eustace  of  Boulogne,  tlie  brother-in- 
law  of  King  hvdward,  who  had  married  the  latter's  sister, 
the  Lady  Goda,  landed  in  England  with  a  numerous  suite 


Chap.  IV.]    THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS,  79 


of  troops  from  Boulogne  and  Normandy.  He  was  re- 
ceived in  a  very  friendly  manner  by  the  king,  and  loaded 
with  presents.  He  was  returning  home,  when,  on  arriving 
at  Dover,  som.e  of  the  inhabitants  resisted  the  action  of  the 
strangers  in  unceremoniously  taking  up  their  quarters  in 
the  town.  Eustace's  soldiers,  greatly  incensed,  killed  those 
who  closed  the  gate  at  their  approach.  The  whole  town 
rose  against  them  in  consequence  of  this  act ;  they  were 
beaten  and  routed.  They  took  refuge  in  Gloucester, 
where  King  Edward  was  staying,  who  ordered  Earl  God- 
win to  impose  a  punishment  on  the  inhabitants  of  Dover. 
Godwin  told  the  king  to  inquire  into  the  affair.  Edward, 
however,  summoned  Godwin  to  appear  before  him.  The 
earl  was  in  no  hurry  to  do  so.  Uneasy  at  the  king's  pro- 
jects, he  began  to  raise  troops  throughout  his  dominions, 
and  his  son  Harold  did  likewise.  Godwin  soon  found 
himself  at  the  head  of  a  considerable  force.  The  king 
summoned  to  his  aid  Leofric,  Count  of  Mercia,  and  Siward, 
Earl  of  Northumbria.  These  two  great  rivals  of  Godwin 
immediately  advanced  with  an  army;  but  the  old  hatred 
between  the  Danes  and  the  Saxons  had  almost  worn  itself 
out.  The  soldiers  from  the  North  considered  themselves 
English  as  well  as  those  from,  the  South,  and  they  all 
murmured  at  the  idea  of  coming  to  blows.  It  was  agreed 
to  lay  the  subject  before  the  Wittenagemot;  but,  in  the 
meanwhile,  before  the  meeting  of  the  assembly,  Godwin's 
soldiers,  who  were  nearly  all  volunteers,  were  slowly  dis- 
persing, while  the  king  had  collected  together  a  numerous 
army.  When  the  Wittenagemot  began  to  sit,  the  earl  and 
his  sons  were  summoned  to  appear  and  establish  their 
innocence.  They  hesitated,  however,  being  unwilling  to 
trust  to  the  impartiality  of  the  judges  ;  and,  in  consequence 
of  the  decision  which  was  come  to  in  their  absence,  they 
were  banished,  driven  from  England  within  five  days,  and 


8o 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,       [Chai.  IV 


condemned  to  have  all  their  goods  confiscated.  Godwin, 
his  v/ife,  and  three  of  their  sons  sought  refuge  at  the  court 
of  Flanders.  Harold  and  his  brother  Leofwin  fled  to 
Ireland.  Edward  consigned  to  a  convent  the  only  person 
of  Godwin's  family  remaining  in  England,  Queen  Edith. 

It  is  not  advisable,"  said  the  Norman  courtiers,  that 
she  should  live  in  luxury  and  with  wealth  at  her  command, 
v/hile  her  relations  are  sufTering  from  such  misfortunes." 

Delivered  of  the  ambitious  and  powerful  Godwin, 
Edward  was  beginning  to  feel  himself  a  king  in  reality. 
He  took  advantage  of  this  to  surround  himself  with  those 
persons  only  who  were  personally  devoted  to  him. 
Among  others  whom  he  wished  to  see  at  his  court  was  the 
Duke  of  Normandy,  William  the  Bastard,  as  he  was 
called,  his  mother  being  the  daughter  of  a  tanner  at  Falaise. 
Edward  was  still  an  exile  in  Normandy,  when  the  Duke 
Robert,  William's  father,  conceived  the  idea  of  making  a 
pilgrimage  to  Jerusalem  to  obtain  forgiveness  for  his  sins. 
These  expeditions  were  of  frequent  occurrence  among  the 
Normans.  The  barons  represented,  however,  to  the  duke 
that  it  would  be  inexpedient  to  thus  leave  his  dominions 
without  a  ruler.  By  my  faith,"  answered  Robert,  I 
will  leave  you  no  lord  !  I  have  a  little  bastard  son  who 
wall  grow  up,  please  God  ;  select  him  in  the  meanwhile, 
and  I  will  appoint  him  my  successor  afterwards."  The 
Normans  did  as  the  duke  proposed,  because  it  suited 
them  to  do  so,"  the  chronicle  says,  and  all  the  chiefs 
came,  one  after  the  other,  and  placed  their  rough  hands 
between  those  of  the  child,  swearing  allegiance  to  him. 

But  scarcely  had  the  duke,  his  father,  started  than  the 
murmuring  began.    The  Normans  were  proud,  restless, 
unmanageable  ;  it  was  repugnant  to  their  feelings  to  live 
under  the  dominion  of  a  child  and  a  bastard  ;  a  war  soon  * 
broke  out ;  the  partisans  of  young  William  carried  him 


Chap.  IV.]     7'HE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS,  8i 


off,  but  the  King  of  France  came  to  their  aid.  When  the 
child  had  reached  manhood  he  soon  manifested  rare 
courage  and  a  strong  and  ungovernable  will,  as  well  as 
that  ambitious  disposition  which  was  destined  to  make  the 
fortune  of  himself  and  his  partisans.  He  was  twenty-seven 
years  old  when  he  came  to  England  in  1050  to  the  court 
of  King  Edward. 

He  mJght  almost  have  i'magined  that  he  was  not  really 
out  of  his  dominions ;  a  Norman  was  in  command  of  the 
fleet  near  Dover  ;  Norman  soldiers  were  in  possession  of 
a  fort  near  Canterbury ;  and  as  he  advanced  into  the 
country,  other  Normans,  priests  and  laymen,  gathered 
round  him.  King  Edward  received  him  in  a  very  friendly 
manner,  and  made  him  presents  of  arms,  horses,  dogs,  and 
hawks ;  it  is  not  known  whether  William  v/as  incited  by 
any  hint  from  Edward  to  claim  the  inheritance  of  this  rich 
kingdom  which  was  to  be  without  a  master  at  the  death 
of  the  king.  Edward  did  not  mention  it,  and  the  duke 
could  keep  his  secrets. 

He  had  just  returned  to  Normandy,  when  Count  God- 
win appeared  upon  the  coast  of  Kent  vv^ith  three  ships ;  he 
had  sent  some  emissaries  to  his  numerous  friends,  and  the 
entire  population  had  risen  in  his  favor.  At  the  same 
time  his  sons  Harold  and  Leofwin,  coming  from  Ireland, 
joined  him  with  a  small  army. 

The  father  and  his  sons  sailed  round  the  coast,  and 
everywhere  met  with  followers.  When  they  at  length 
landed  at  Sandwich,  nobody  ventured  to  resist  them. 
King  Edward  was  in  London,  collecting  together  his 
warriors,  who  came  forward  very  slowly.  Godwin's  ves- 
sels had  ascended  the  Thames  and  found  themselves 
under  the  very  walls  of  London.  They  soon  passed  the 
bridge,  and  landed  their  troops.  The  king  meanwhile  did 
not  stir. 

G 


82 


HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  IV. 


Godwin  had  arrived  at  the  capital  without  discharging 
an  arrow  or  unsheathing  a  sword ;  he  sent  a  message  to 
the  king  in  which  he  demanded  the  remission  of  the 
sentence  which  had  been  pronounced  against  him.  Ed- 
ward was  aware  of  the  desperate  state  of  his  affairs,  but  he 
was  incensed  at  the  daring  of  the  earl  and  refused  to  listen 
to  his  demands.  Several  other  messages  were  delivered. 
The  king  at  this  critical  moment  was  still  surrounded  by 
his  Norman  favorites.  He  could  not  order  his  vessels  to 
attack  those  of  Godwin,  as  the  former  had  been  seized  by 
the  insurgents ;  but  Edward  remained  inflexible.  The 
Normans  who  were  with  him  foresaw  the  issue  of  the  con- 
flict, and  feared  the  vengeance  of  Godwin.  They  began 
to  fly.  The  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  Robert,  and  the 
bishop  of  London,  William,  mounted  their  horses  and 
fought  their  way  to  the  seacoast,  where  they  embarked. 
The  king  at  length  surrendered  ;  a  Wittenagemot  was 
convoked  and  the  sentence  of  banishment  pronounced 
against  Godwin  and  his  sons  was  annulled  and  transferred 
to  the  Normans,  who  were  in  their  turn  expelled  from 
England.  Queen  Edith  reappeared  in  her  husband's 
palace.  Godwin  and  his  family  regained  their  honors  and 
property.  The  younger  of  the  sons  and  one  of  the  grand- 
sons of  the  great  carl  were  the  only  hostages  given  to  the 
king,  who  confided  them  to  the  keeping  of  the  duke  of 
Normandy.  Sweyn,  in  expiation  of  his  former  sins,  gave 
up  both  his  titles  and  his  wealth  to  perform  a  pilgrimage 
barefooted  to  Jerusalem.  He  died  long  before  reaching 
the  Holy  Land. 

Peace  seemed  re-established  in  England,  but  the  king 
still  nourished  the  bitterest  hatred  against  Godwin.  The 
peace  would  probably  not  have  been  of  long  duration  had 
not  the  death  of  the  earl,  which  took  place  in  1053,  put 
an  end  to  their  rivalry.      The  Norman  chronicles  relate 


Chap.  IV.]     THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS.  83 


that  he  was  seated  at  the  royal  table,  when  a  servant, 
accidentally  losing  his  balance,  supported  himself  by  lean- 
ing against  another.        There,"  said   Godwin,  laughing, 

that  is  how  brother  helps  brother."  Yes,  certainly," 
said  the  king,  one  brother  requires  the  liclp  of  another, 
and  I  would  to  God  that  mine  were  still  alive."  King," 
cried  Godwin,  how  comes  it  that  at  the  slightest  re- 
membrance of  your  brother,  you  always  look  so  fiercely  at 
me  ?  If  I  helped  to  cause  his  misfortune  even  indirectly, 
may  the  Lord  of  Heaven  prevent  my  swallowing  this 
piece  of  bread."  At  that  moment,  while  carr3^ing  the 
bread  to  his  mouth,  the  earl  had  a  fit  of  choking  and  fell 
back  "struck  down  by  the  hand  of  Providence."  He 
died  a  few  days  afterwards,  almost  at  the  same  moment  as 
his  old  rival,  Siward,  count  of  Northumbria.  The  latter 
was  ill  and  bedridden,  when  he  said,  Lift  me  up,  that  I 
may  die  standing,  like  a  soldier,  and  not  lying  down  like  a 
cow;  give  me  my  cuirass  and  helmet,  that  I  may  die 
armed."  It  is  this  old  Siward  whom  Shakspeare  repre- 
sents in  Macbeth^  uneasy  in  his  mind,  before  mourning  the 
death  of  his  son,  about  the  situation  of  the  fatal  wounds, 
and  consoling  himself  amidst  his  grief  with  the  thought 
that  they  had  all  been  inflicted  in  front  and  that  his  son 
had  died  like  a  brave  warrior. 

The  son  whom  Siward  left  was  too  young  to  succeed 
him  in  the  government  of  his  vast  dominions,  which  were 
presented  to  Tostig,  one  of  Godwin's  sons.  Harold  had 
all  the  estates  of  his  father  left  to  him,  and  although  very 
loath  to  do  so,  he  gave  up  the  command  of  the  Eastern 
territories  which  he  had  hitherto  held,  to  Elfgar,  son  of 
Leofric  of  Mercia. 

King  Edward  was  much  attached  to  Harold,  the  bravest 
and  best  of  Godwin's  sons  ;  and  the  English  people  shared 
this  affection  with  him.     Tostig,  on  the  contrary,  soon 


84 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  IV. 


caused  himself  to  be  detested  in  Northumbria.  The 
people  organized  an  insurrection  in  1066,  and  he  was 
driven  from  his  territories.  The  king  instructed  Harold 
to  quell  the  insurrection,  but  the  latter  knew  his  brother 
well,  and  understood  tlie  grievances  of  the  people  whom 
he  had  oppressed.  He  made  proposals  to  the  Northum- 
brians of  a  conference  for  peace,  endeavoring  at  the  same 
time  to  exonerate  his  brother  and  promising  that  the 
latter's  conduct  should  be  more  worthy  in  future.  The 
insurgents  refused  haughtily.  A  proud  and  overbearing 
chief  is  unendurable  to  us,"  they  said;  "  v/e  have  learned 
from  our  ancestors  to  live  free  or  die.'*  Harold  himself 
conveyed  the  message  of  the  Northumbrians  to  the  king, 
and  Morcar,  son  of  Elfgar,  was  elected  in  place  of  Tostig, 
who  took  refuge  at  the  court  of  Flanders. 

Edward  was  growing  old,  and  he  had  no  children.  His 
devotion  was  becoming  day  by  day  more  fervent.  He 
thought  of  making  a  pilgrimage  to  Rome,  but  the  Wit- 
tenagemot  opposed  it.  For  the  first  time  the  king  thought 
of  his  nephew  Edward,  son  of  Edmund  Ironsides,  who 
was  still  in  Hungary,  where  he  had  been  brought  up.  He 
sent  for  him.  Edward  Atheling,  as  he  was  called,  imme- 
diately set  out  with  his  wife,  daughter  of  the  emperor  of 
Germany,  and  also  with  his  three  children,  Edward, 
Margaret,  and  Christiana.  The  EngHsh  people  were 
delighted.  The  memory  of  Ironsides  "  had  remained 
popular  and  his  son  was  received  with  acclamation.  But 
this  was  only  by  the  people,  for  the  king,  who  had  sent  for 
his  nephew  with  the  evident  intention  of  making  him  his 
heir,  never  saw  his  face.  By  reason  of  some  intrigues, 
probably  of  Harold,  the  interview  was  delayed,  and  before 
it  could  take  place  the  prince  died  in  London,  where  he 
was  buried,  in  St.  Paul's  Cathedral.  Godwin's  son  was 
rapidly  approaching  the  throne 


Chap.  IV.]     THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS.  85 


For  more  than  ten  years,  Harold's  brother,  Wulfuoth, 
and  his  nephew  Heaco  had  been  in  Normandy,  entrusted 
to  the  care  of  the  Duke  Wilham,  as  Godwin's  hostages. 
The  count  conceived  a  desire  to  go  and  set  them  free. 
The  old  king  tried  to  persuade  Flarold  to  abandon  his 
project,  either  on  account  of  his  esteem  for  him  or  because 
he  had,  as  some  chroniclers  say,  made  a  will  in  favor  of 
the  duke  of  Normandy,  and  consequently  wished  to  pre- 
vent Harold  from  making  his  acquaintance.  "  I  will  not 
hinder  you,"  said  the  king,  ''but  if  you  go,  it  is  not  by 
my  wish,  for  your  journey  will  assuredly  bring  down  some 
misfortune  upon  our  country.  I  know  the  Duke  William 
and  his  astute  mind  ;  he  hates  you,  and  will  grant  you 
nothing,  unless  he  sees  some  advantage  for  himself  in 
doing  so ;  the  way  to  make  him  give  up  the  hostages 
would  be  to  send  somebody  else." 

Harold  was  young  and  presumptuous ;  he  did  not  heed 
the  advice  of  the  old  king,  but  embarked  at  a  port  in 
Sussex  near  Bosham,  with  his  companions.  The  wind  was 
unfavorable,  and  the  two  little  ships  were  dashed  ashore  at 
the  mouth  of  the  river  Somme,  in  the  dominions  of  Guy, 
count  of  Ponthieu.  According  to  the  usage  of  the  time, 
the  crew  were  taken  to  the  count,  who  was  entitled  to 
claim  them,  and  they  were  shut  up  in  the  citadel  of 
Beaurain,  near  Montreuil. 

Harold  had  declared  himself  to  be  the  bearer  of  a  mes- 
sage from  the  king  of  England  to  the  duke  of  Normandy, 
and  William  claimed  the  prisoners ;  but  the  count  of 
Ponthieu  only  parted  with  them  for  a  ransom.  Harold 
was  taken  to  the  duke  at  Rouen.  The  latter  received  the 
Englishmen  magnificently,  and  at  once  gave  up  to  them 
the  hostages,  only  asking  Harold  to  prolong  his  stay  in 
Normandy.  The  Saxon  consented  to  do  so,  finding 
ample  amusement  in  observing  the  luxury  and  civilized 


86 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAJVD.       [Chap.  IV, 


customs  which  he  met  with  for  the  first  time  among  the 
Normans. 

The  Duke  WilHam  had  conferred  upon  his  guests  the 
spurs  of  knighthood,  and  he  proposed  that,  in  order  to 
enable  them  to  display  their  prowess,  they  should  accom- 
pany him  on  an  expedition  into  Brittany.  As  long  as  the 
war  lasted,  Harold  and  William  lived  under  a  single  tent 
and  dined  at  the  same  table.  On  one  occasion,  after  the 
Saxons  had  distinguished  themselves  by  their  warlike 
feats,  the  two  chiefs  were  returning  home  together  on 
horseback.  William  was  speaking  of  his  old  relations  with 
King  Edward.  When  Edward  and  I  lived  like  brothers, 
under  the  same  roof,"  he  said,  "  he  promised  me,  that  if 
ever  he  should  become  k'ing  of  England,  he  would  make 
me  heir  to  his  kingdom.  Harold,  help  me  to  get  this 
promise  fulfilled.  If  by  your  help  I  should  obtain  the 
kingdom,  rest  assured  that  whatever  you  ask  for,  I  will 
immediately  grant."  Harold,  astounded,  did  not  know 
what  to  answer.  He  stammered  a  few  words.  William 
was  resolved  to  get  his  consent.  Since  you  consent  to 
serve  me,  you  must  undertake  to  fortify  Dover  Castle," 
he  said,  to  construct  a  well  there  for  obtaining  a  supply 
of  spring  water,  and  to  surrender  it  up  to  my  soldiers. 
You  must  give  up  your  sister  to  me,  whom  I  will  give  in 
marriage  to  one  of  my  barons  ;  and  you  shall  marry  my 
daughter  Adela.  I  also  wish  that,  when  you  go,  you 
would  leave  one  of  the  two  hostages  whom  you  have 
claimed ;  I  will  take  him  back  to  England  when  I  go  over 
there  as  king."  Harold  shuddered  inwardly.  He  was  at 
the  duke's  mercy,  and  he  agreed  to  all  that  he  desired, 
menially  resolving  not  to  fulfil  his  promises.  He  did  not 
know  the  Norman  and  his  farsighted  schemes. 

They  were  at  Avranches  (some  say  at  Bayeux),  and 
the  Norman  barons  were  convoked  in  a  great  assembly. 


Chap.  IV.]     THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS.  87 


The  Saxon  was  there  by  the  side  of  the  duke  ;  a  mass- 
book  was  brought  and  pLaced  upon  a  stool  covered  with  a 
golden  cloth.  Suddenly  William  exclaimed,  Harold,  I 
call  upon  you,  before  this  noble  assembly,  to  confirm  on 
oath  all  that  you  have  promised  to  do  to  help  me  to 
obtain  the  kingdom  of  England  after  the  death  of  King 
Edward."  The  Englishman  was  again  taken  aback,  and 
was  in  great  peril.  He  advanced  slowly,  and  swore  with 
his  hand  on  the  book,  to  perform  the  promises  made  to 
the  duke,  provided  that  he  were  alive  and  that  God  should 
help  liim  to  do  so.  All  the  Normans  cried  out,  May  the 
Lord  help  him  !"  Then  at  a  sign  from  William,  the  rich 
cloth  was  removed  and  tlie  Saxon  discovered  that  he  had 
sworn  upon  a  receptacle  filled  with  precious  relics  which 
had  been  brought,  by  order  of  the  duke,  from  all  the 
neighboring  convents.  William  did  not  detain  Harold 
any  longer.  He  left  the  country,  taking  his  nephew  with 
him  ;  but  his  brother  remained  in  the  power  of  the 
Normans. 

Did  I  not  warn  you  theit  I  knew  William  ?"  said  the 
old  king  Edward  when  Harold  related  to  him  Vvdiat  had 
happened;  and  he  added  sadly,  May  none  of  these 
misfortunes  happen  in  my  lifetime  !" 

The  death  of  the  king  was  destined  to  be  the  signal  for 
England's  misfortunes  to  recommence,  and  he  was  becom- 
ing weaker  every  day.  Sinister  reports  had  been  circula- 
ted. Old  prophecies  were  recalled  which  threatened 
England  with  invasion  and  subjugation  by  a  foreign  people. 
The  king  himself,  constantly  occupied  with  his  devotional 
practices,  saw  fearful  visions  in  his  dreams  and  would  cry 
out,  with  a  vague  remembrance  of  biblical  imagery,  The 
Lord  has  stretched  His  bow.  He  has  unsheathed  His 
sword  ;  He  moves  and  brandishes  it  like  a  warrior ;  His 
wrath  shall  be  manifested  through  fire  and  by  sv/ord." 


88 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


[Chap.  IV. 


His  servants  shuddered  at  these  threatening  prophecies ; 
but  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  Stigand,  only  laughed. 

Dreams  of  the  sick  old  man/'  he  would  say. 

It  is  said  that,  before  dying,  Edward  designated  Harold 
to  the  members  of  the  Wittenagemot  as  his  successor ; 
other  chroniclers  (the  Norman  writers)  maintain,  on  the 
contrary,  that  when  Harold  and  Iiis  relations  presented 
themselves  in  the  king's  chamber,  the  latter  said  in  a  feeble 
whisper,  You  know,  my  thanes,  that  I  have  bequeathed 
my  kingdom  to  the  duke  of  Normandy  ;  do  I  not  here 
see  men  who  have  sworn  to  uphold  his  rights?"  Wliat- 
ever  the  dying  man  may  have  wished,  the  opinion  of  the 
English  chiefs  was  not  to  be  mistaken.  Scarcely  had 
Edward  the  Confessor  been  buried  in  Westminster  Abbey, 
which  he  had  built  in  place  of  performing  the  pilgrimage 
to  Rome,  when  the  Wittenagemot  proclaimed  as  king  of 
England,  Harold,  the  son  of  Godwin,  and  the  grandson  of 
the  herdsman  Ulfuoth,  overlooking  in  his  favor  the  rights 
of  Edgar  Atheling,  son  of  Edward  Atheling,  and  grand- 
son of  Edward  Ironsides,  as  well  as  the  more  formidable 
pretensions  of  the  duke  of  Normandy. 

Harold's  first  care  was  to  eradicate  from  the  kingdom 
all  traces  of  the  Norman  innovations  introduced  by  King 
Edward  ;  the  ancient  Saxon  signature  replaced,  in  the 
acts,  the  seals  introduced  from  Normandy,  and  the  Nor- 
man favorites  whom  Edward  affectionately  protected  to 
the  last,  were  deprived  of  their  offices,  though  without 
being  exiled  or  having  their  property  confiscated.  It  was 
through  them  that  the  Duke  WiUiam  heard  of  the  death 
of  Edward  and  of  the  election  of  Harold.  He  was  in  a 
park,  near  Rouen,  trying  a  new  bow,  when  the  important 
news  readied  him.  He  stopped  immediately,  gave  his 
bow  to  his  servants  and  went  back  to  Rouen.  He  walked 
up  and  down  the  great  hall  in  his  palace,  sat  and  rose 


Chap.  IV.]    THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS,  89 


alternately,  and  was  quite  unable  to  remain  still.  His 
friends  looked  at  him  in  silence  without  daring  to  accost 
him.  At  length  one  of  them,  who  was  on  more  familiar 
terms  with  him  than  most  of  the  others,  approached  him. 
'*My  lord,"  he  said,  of  what  use  is  it  to  keep  your  news 
from  us  ?  It  is  rumored  in  the  town  that  the  king  of 
England  is  dead  and  that  Harold  has  taken  possession  of 
the  kingdom,  unfaithful  to  his  plighted  word  to  you." 
*'That  is  true,"  answered  the  duke,  "and  my  grief  is 
caused  as  much  by  the  death  of  Edward  as  by  the  wrong 
which  Harold  has  done  me."  "  There  is  no  remedy  for 
Edward's  death,"  replied  the  Norman,  ''but  "there  is  for 
Harold's  infidelity ;  yours  is  the  willing  arm  and  yours  are 
the  willing  soldiers;  a  thing  well  begun  is  half  done." 

William's  courtiers  were  not  the  only  persons  to  advise 
him  to  support  his  pretensions  by  force  of  arms.  Har- 
old's own  brother,  Tostig,  who  had  been  driven  from 
Northumbria,  and  whom  his  brother  had  failed  to  re- 
establish in  his  government,  came  from  Flanders  to  offer 
his  help  to  the  duke  of  Normandy  in  attempting  the  con- 
quest of  England.  William  was  too  prudent  to  undertake 
the  invasion  without  premeditation;  he  presented  ships  to 
Tostig,  who  went  to  Denmark  to  seek  the  support  of  King 
Sweyn.  Upon  meeting  with  a  refusal  from  the  Dane, 
Tostig  repaired  to  Norway.  The  king  of  that  country  was 
Harold  Hardrada,  son  of  Sigurd,  a  great  voyager  and 
corsair,  who  had  formerly  extended  his  excursions  as  far 
as  the  seas  of  Sicily,  and  who  on  one  occasion  on  his 
return  had  married  a  Russian  princess.  He  was  a  poet 
and  would  sing  on  board  his  black  vessel,  laden  with  his 
warriors,  who  were  a  source  of  great  terror  to  all  peaceful 
people.  Tostig  approached  him  with  flattery.  ''The 
whole  world  knows,"  he  said,  "  that  there  is  not  in  the 
North  a  warrior  who  is  your  equal;  you  have  only  to  wish 


90 


HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  IV. 


it,  and  England  is  yours."  The  Norwegian  allowed  him- 
self to  be  seduced  and  promised  to  put  to  sea  as  soon  as 
the  ice  should  thaw  and  make  the  ocean  navigable. 

While  Tostig  was  trying  his  strength  on  the  coast  of 
Northumbria  with  a  band  of  adventurers,  William,  careful 
to  have  on  his  side  all  the  appearances  of  right,  sent  a 
message  to  Harold  as  foUows: — ''William,  duke  of  Nor- 
mandy, reminds  you  of  the  oath  which  you  swore  with 
your  own  lips  and  with  your  hand  upon  good  and  holy 
relics."  ''It  is  true,"  answered  Harold,  "but  I  swore 
under  constraint,  not  being  free,  and  I  promised  what  did 
not  belong  to  me ;  besides,  my  services  belong  to  my 
country,  and  I  could  not  give  up  my  position  to  anybody 
else  without  its  consent,  nor  marry  a  strange  woman.  As 
to  my  sister,  whom  the  duke  claims  for  one  of  his  chiefs, 
she  died  during  this  year.  Does  he  wish  me  to  send  her 
body  to  him  ?"  A  second  message,  still  calm  and  mode- 
rate, urged  Harold  at  least  to  marry  the  Norman  princess ; 
but  the  king  answered  that  he  would  not  do  so,  and  soon 
afterwards  he  chose  a  Saxon  wife,  a  sister  of  Edwin  and 
Morcar,  the  two  sons  of  Elfgar,  count  of  Mercia.  William's 
anger  at  length  burst  forth,  and,  reproaching  Harold  bit- 
terly for  his  perjury,  he  declared  that  he  would  come 
before  the  end  of  the  year  to  exact  payment  of  the  whole 
of  his  debt  and  to  pursue  the  prefidious  Saxon  even  into 
the  places  wherein  he  considered  his  hold  to  be  firmest. 
While  awaiting  the  help  of  his  allies  from  the  North, 
WiUiam  was  aware  of  the  importance  of  conciliating  public 
opinion  in  Europe,  or  at  least  in  that  portion  of  Europe 
where  the  people  were  not  altogether  ignorant  of  what 
was  happening  in  England  and  in  Normandy.  No  influ- 
ence was  stronger  than  that  of  the  Church  for  obtaining 
the  good  will  of  the  people.  The  Enghsh  were  not  in 
favor  at  Rome.    They  had  refused  to  receive  Robert  of 


Chap.  IV.]     THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS.  91 


Jumieges,  a  Norman  priest,  brought  up  in  Canterbury  by 
Edward  the  Confessor,  who  had  been  appointed  to  a  high 
position  by  the  Pope,  and  the  Saxon  Stigand,  who  was 
still  under  excommunication  from  Rome,  under  pretence 
that  he  had  been  guilty  of  simony,  was  chosen  in  his  stead. 
The  Saxon  Church  had  often  shown  itself  to  be  somewhat 
undisciplined,  and  the  clergy  had  been  accused  of  laxity  in 
performing  their  duties.  William  caused  these  facts  to  be 
represented  at  Rome,  besides  employing  many  other  argu- 
ments. He  had  sent  Lanfranc  there,  a  priest  of  Italian 
extraction,  whom  he  had  made  abbot  of  St.  Stephen's  at 
Caen,  and  who  by  reason  of  his  clever  and  prudent  mind 
was  enabled  to  render  important  services  to  his  master. 
Harold  had  sent  no  ambassador  to  this  tribunal,  whose 
jurisdiction  he  did  not  recognize  in  temporal  affairs  ;  his 
perjury  was  strongly  denounced  there,  and  Pope  Alexander 
n.  declared  that  William  of  Normandy,  cousin  of  King 
Edward,  and  consequently  his  heir,  could  legitimately  style 
himself  king  of  England  and  seize  upon  the  kingdom. 
The  king  received  this  permission  sealed  by  the  Pope,  with 
a  holy  standard  and  a  ring  containing  a  hair  of  St.  Peter 
enclosed  in  a  diamond. 

Strong  in  the  support  of  the  Pope,  to  whom  he  had 
promised  to  place  England  again  under  the  authority  of 
the  Holy  See  and  to  cause  the  Peter's  pence  to  be  levied 
there  annually,  as  Canute  had  done,  William  began  his 
preparations  for  the  conquest.  The  Normans  were  a  free 
people ;  they  were  still  conscious  of  their  rude  origin,  but 
nevertheless  accustomed  to  be  consulted  in  their  own 
affairs.  The  duke  called  together  all  his  most  intimate 
friends,  his  two  maternal  brothers,  Odo,  bishop  of  Bayeux, 
Count  Mortaign,  and  the  friend  of  his  childhood,  William, 
son  of  Osbert,  the  seneschal  of  Normandy.  All  encouraged 
him  in  his  project.       But,"  they  said,     you  must  ask 


92 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,       [Chap.  IV. 


help  and  advice  of  the  majority  of  the  inhabitants  of  this 
country,  for  it  is  right  that  whoever  pays  should  be  invited 
to  consent  to  the  expenditure.'* 

William  was  hot-tempered  and  haughty,  but  prudent 
and  sensible.  He  convoked  at  Lillebonne  a  great  assem- 
bly of  men  from  every  state  of  Normandy,  the  richest  and 
most  esteemed  of  their  class.  He  unfolded  his  plans  to 
them,  and  they  retired  to  discuss  them  at  their  ease,  out 
of  the  presence  of  the  duke. 

The  excitement  was  great  and  the  opinions  various. 
William,  son  of  Osbert,  appeared  in  the  midst  of  the  groups. 

Why  do  you  discuss  together  he  exclaimed.  He  is 
your  lord,  and  he  has  need  of  your  services ;  your  duty 
would  be  to  make  offers  to  him,  and  not  to  wait  until  he 
asks  for  anything.  If  you  fail  him,  and  he  attains  his 
object  by  the  will  of  God,  he  will  not  forget  it ;  show, 
therefore,  that  you  love  him  and  support  him  with  a  will.'' 
Low  murmurs  were  heard ;  the  opposition  was  beginning 
to  burst  forth.  No  doubt  he  is  our  lord,"  they  said  ; 
*^  but  is  it  not  enough  for  him  that  we  should  pay  his  taxes? 
We  do  not  owe  him  any  assistance  for  his  foreign  excur- 
sions ;  he  has  already  oppressed  us  too  much  by  his  wars ; 
if  his  new  enterprise  should  fail,  our  country  would  be 
ruined."  The  offers  accordingly  were  few,  when  Osbert's 
son  was  instructed  to  communicate  them  to  William. 

The  assembly  re-entered  the  room  wherein  the  duke 
sat.  The  seneschal  advanced.  "  Sire,"  he  said,  I  do 
not  think  that  there  are  in  the  world  men  more  zealous 
than  these.  You  know  how  many  burdens  they  have 
already  borne  for  you  ?  Well,  they  propose  to  add  another, 
and  to  follow  you  to  the  other  side  of  the  sea  as  they  do 
on  this  side.  Push  onward,  then,  and  fear  nothing;  who- 
ever has  hitherto  only  supplied  you  with  two  good  soldiers 
on  horseback  is  vv^illing  to  bear  double  the  expense."  The 


Chap.  IV.]     THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS.  93 


seneschal  was  interrupted  by  a  hundred  voices  crying 
We  did  not  commission  you  to  make  such  an  answer  as 
that  Let  him  remain  in  his  own  territory,  and  we  w^ill 
serve  him  as  we  should  do ;  but  we  are  not  compelled  to 
help  him  to  conquer  another  people's  country.  Besides, 
if  we  were  for  once  to  do  him  this  service,  he  would 
expect  it  as  a  right  ever  afterwards,  and  would  thereby 
oppress  our  children  ;  it  shall  not  be."  And  the  assembly 
dispersed  in  anger. 

The  duke  sent  for  the  noblemen,  one  after  the  other,  as 
well  as  the  abbots  and  the  merchants :  he  showed  his 
plans  to  them,  asked  for  their  support  as  a  personal  favor 
which  should  not  compromise  their  liberty  in  any  way  in 
future,  and  by  degrees  he  obtained  what  he  wanted.  Tlie 
merchants  promised  vessels  and  armed  warriors,  the  priests 
gave  money,  and  the  barons  placed  themselves  and  their 
vassals  at  his  disposition.  The  preparations  began  forth- 
with in  all  the  Norman  towns  ;  adventurers  were  every- 
where crowding  round  William,  who  slighted  nobody," 
according  to  the  chronicles,  and  was  always  ready  to 
oblige  people  as  far  as  he  was  able.''  He  promised  lands, 
castles,  women,  plunder  ;  he  even  sold  an  English  bishopric 
to  a  certain  Remi,  of  Fecamp,  for  a  ship  and  twenty  war- 
riors. 

While  the  noise  of  hammers  was  resounding  throughout 
all  the  shipyards  of  Normandy,  the  ice  had  thawed  in  the 
Baltic,  and  Harold  Hardrada  had  set  sail  with  his  sea- 
serpents  ;  he  had  been  joined  by  Tostig,  and  had  ascended 
the  H umber  and  the  Ousc,  causing  great  destruction  on 
his  way.  A  certain  number  of  Englishmen  had  rallied 
round  the  standard  of  Tostig.  Edwin  and  Morcar  marched 
to  oppose  the  allies,  but  they  were  repulsed  with  loss.  The 
citizens  of  York,  fearing  an  assault,  promised  to  surrender. 


91- 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,       [Chap.  IV. 


The  Norwegians  were  already  celebrating  the  victory  in 
their  camp. 

It  was  in  the  early  morning,  and  Hardrada  and  Tostig, 
with  a  small  body  of  troops,  were  advancing  towards  York 
to  hold  an  interview  with  the  chiefs  of  the  town.  Count- 
ing upon  the  terror  which  they  inspired  among  the  peace- 
ful citizens,  they  were  but  half  armed ;  Harold  Hardrada 
had  left  his  halbert  in  his  tent,  and  wore  a  blue  tunic 
embroidered  with  gold  and  a  helmet  ornamented  with 
precious  stones.  Suddenly  a  cloud  of  dust,  which  was 
rising  in  the  horizon,  cleared  away  and  revealed  a  forest 
of  lances.  It  was  King  Harold  whom  the  invaders  believed 
to  be  in  the  South  watching  the  movements  of  the  Duke 
of  Normandy,  and  who  had  come  by  forced  marches  to 
encounter  them.  The  2folden  drai^on  of  Wessex  was  dis- 
played  on  his  standard. 

The  position  of  the  Norwegian,  Hardrada,  was  critical, 
but  his  courage  did  not  desert  him.  Planting  in  the 
ground  his  banner,  the  motto  on  which  was  The  despoiler 
of  the  world,"  he  drew  up  around  it  all  his  forces  at  the 
foot  of  Stamford  Bridge ;  he  was  riding  backwards  and 
forwards  in  front  of  his  soldiers,  when  his  horse  stumbled 
and  he  fell.  A  good  omen  !"  he  cried  when  he  saw  the 
faces  of  the  pirates  darken.  His  soldiers,  resting  their 
lances  on  the  ground,  with  their  points  in  the  direction  of 
the  enemy,  awaited  the  onslaught  of  the  English.  Har- 
drada was  marching  along  the  ranks,  singing  an  impro- 
vised *^  skald."  Let  us  fight,"  he  said,  'Met  us  march, 
although  without  any  breast-plates  beneath  the  edges  of 
the  blue  steel ;  our  helmets  glisten  in  the  sun  ;  they  are 
sufficient  for  brave  warriors." 

The  English  were  contemplating  these  valiant  prepara- 
tions. A  small  band  of  men  had  detached  themselves 
from  the  body  of  the  army.       Where  is  Earl  Tostig,  son 


Chap.  IV.]    THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS.  95 


of  Godwin  ?"  asked  one  of  the  warriors  clad  in  steel.  He 
is  here  !"  cried  Tostig  himself,  stepping  out  from  the 
ranks.  Your  brother  salutes  you,"  rejoined  the  Saxon  ; 
"  he  offers  you  peace,  friendship,  and  your  former  honors." 

This  is  a  sensible  offer,"  said  Tostig,  and  if  my  brother 
had  made  it  a  year  ago  he  would  have  spared  the  lives  of 
many  brave  men.  And  w^hat  does  he  offer  to  my  noble 
ally,  King  Harold,  son  of  Sigurd  ?"  Seven  feet  of 
English  soil,"  haughtily  replied  the  warrior,  contemplat- 
ing the  Norwegian's  huge  person  ;  a  little  more,  perhaps, 
for  he  is  taller  than  most  men."  Then,"  cried  Tostig, 
my  brother.  King  Harold,  may  prepare  for  the  fray.  It 
shall  not  be  said  that  the  son  of  Godwin  abandoned  the 
son  of  Sigurd." 

The  Saxons  retired  slowly.  Tostig  was  still  looking 
fixedly  at  his  antagonist.  Who  is  the  warrior  with  such 
a  proud  tongue  ?"  asked  Hadrada.  "  King  Harold,  son 
of  Godwin,"  said  Tostig.  Why  did  you  not  tell  me 
so  ?"  cried  Hardrada ;  "  he  would  not  have  lived  to  boast 
of  having  defeated  us."  He  then  added,  He  is  little,  but 
he  sits  firmly  in  the  saddle."  At  the  same  moment, 
King  Harold  was  asking  his  companions  whether  this 
gigantic  warrior  clad  in  blue  was  really  the  formidable 
sovereign  of  the  seas.  It  is  the  same,  they  told  him. 
"  He  is  a  powerful  man,"  replied  Harold  thoughtfully, 
*'but  I  think  his  good  fortune  has  deserted  him." 

The  battle  began — Hardrada  was  killed  almost  immedi- 
ately by  an  arrow  which  stuck  in  his  throat.  Tostig  took 
command  of  the  army.  Harold  sent  proposals  for  peace  a 
second  time  for  Tostig  and  the  Norwegians.  We  will 
owe  nothing  to  the  Saxons,"  cried  the  Norwegians,  and 
the  struggle  recommenced.  Tostig  was  killed  in  his  turn, 
and  great  havoc  was  made  among  his  men.  The  de- 
spoiler  of  the  world  "  was  now  surrounded  but  by  a  small 


95 


HISTORY   OF   ENGLAND.       [Chap.  IV. 


number  of  warriors.  They  at  length  pulled  up  their 
precious  standard,  and  slowly,  defending  themselves  step 
by  stejD,  they  regained  the  road  leading  to  their  vessels. 
A  stout  Norwegian  had  taken  up  his  stand  upon  Stamford 
Bridge,  covering  the  retreat  of  his  comrades.  They  had 
nearly  all  passed  the  bridge,  taking  with  them  young 
Olof,  son  of  Hardrada,  Avhen  an  English  soldier,  pushing 
his  lance  through  a  crevice  in  the  timber,  killed  the  valiant 
defender.  The  Scandinavian  vessels  unfurled  their  sails, 
and  returned  to  Norway  to  spread  the  sad  news  of  a 
defeat,  indicated  beforehand  by  the  gloomy  predictions  of 
the  soldiers,  who  had  seen  in  their  dreams  a  woman  of 
gigantic  stature  seated  on  a  wolf,  and  rushing  along  their 
ranks,  making  at  each  step  a  fresh  corpse  for  the  ferocious 
animal  to  devour. 

Harold  did  not  attempt  to  pursue  the  Norwegians  on 
sea  ;  he  was  recalled  southward  by  the  near  approach  of 
his  great  peril.  William  had  assembled  all  his  forces  on 
the  coast  of  Normandy,  almost  without  any  foreign  help. 
The  king  of  France,  Philip  I.,  had  refused  to 'give  him  any 
assistance,  although  the  Duke  had  proposed  to  do  homage 
to  him  when  he  should  obtain  possession  of  England. 

You  know,"  the  French  barons  had  said  to  the  king, 

how  little  the  Normans  obey  you  now  ;  they  will  obey 
you  still  less  if  they  conquer  England,  and  if  they  fail  in 
their  enterprise,  having  assisted  them  we  shall  make  ene- 
mies of  the  English  people  for  ever  afterwards." 

The  fleet  and  the  army  had  been  lying  together  for  more 
than  a  month  at  Dive ;  the  wind  was  unfavorable,  and  it 
was  impossible  to  sail  out  of  port.  The  south  wind  at 
length  rose,  and  drove  tlie  vessels  to  Saint- Valery-en- 
Caux,  and  then  the  bad  weather  began  again.  Several 
ships  were  dashed  to  pieces  and  their  crews  perished.  In 
the  army  the  men  were  murmuring.       There  has  been  no 


Chap.  IV.]     THE  SAXON  AND  DANISH  KINGS,  97 


fighting,"  they  said,  "  and  yet  there  are  ah'eady  some  men 
killed."  The  Duke  caused  the  sands  to  be  watched,  in 
order  that  the  dead  bodies  thrown  up  by  the  sea  might  be 
buried  immediately  ;  and  he  allowed  good  cheer  to  his 
soldiers  to  induce  them  to  wait  patiently.  He  sent  for  the 
relics  of  the  wrecks  from  Saint- Valery,  which  were  car- 
ried through  the  camp  with  great  pomp.  At  length  a 
propitious  wind  arose;  all  the  sails  were  unfurled,  and  four 
hundred  large  ships  and  a  thousand  transport  vessels  sped 
away  from  land.  The  Duke's  ship  was  at  the  head  of 
them,  bearing  on  the  foremast  the  banner  sent  by  the 
Pope ;  the  sails  of  various  colors  w^ere  flying  in  the  wind. 
The  Duke's  vessel  soon  left  all  the  others  behind  ;  at  day- 
break he  found  himself  alone.  He  sent  a  sailor  to  the 
foremast.  I  only  see  the  sky  and  the  sea,"  cried  the 
sailor;  but  a  short  time  afterwards  he  reported  four  ves- 
sels in  sight,  and  the  Duke  had  not  taken  his  breakfast 
before  a  forest  of  masts  and  sails  was  discovered. 

It  was  a  fine  morning,  on  the  28th  of  September,  1066. 
Harold's  vessels,  which  had  been  cruising  along  the  coast 
during  a  whole  month,  had  put  in  to  land  on  the  previous 
evening,  being  short  of  provisions.  The  fleet  of  the  Nor- 
mans approached,  therefore,  Vv'-ithout  resistance,  and  landed 
in  Sussex,  at  Bulverhithe,  between  Pevensey  and  Hastings. 
The  archers  landed  first,  then  the  horsemen,  and  lastly  the 
pioneers  carrying  their  tools  and  wood  ready  prepared  for 
making  trenches  round  their  camp.  The  Duke  was  the 
last  to  set  foot  on  English  soil,  after  superintending  the 
disembarking  of  his  men.  Immediately  upon  stepping 
down,  he  stumbled  and  fell,  smearing  his  hands  with  dirt. 
A  shudder  ran  along  the  ranks.  *'What  ails  you  ?"  cried 
the  Duke,  who  had  instantly  sprung  to  his  feet.  I  have 
seized  the  land  with  my  hands,  and  by  the  grace  of  God, 
throughout  its  length  and  breadth,  it  is  yours."    They  were 


98 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  IV. 


reassured  at  these  words ;  a  camp  was  at  once  planned 
and  fortified  with  wooden  trenches,  after  the  French 
fashion,  and  bands  of  soldiers  overran  the  neighborhood, 
ravaging  and  laying  waste  the  country. 

Harold  was  still  at  Stamford,  resting  after  the  fatigues 
of  the  campaign  against  the  Norwegians,  when  a  messen- 
ger in  an  exhausted  and  breathless  condition,  burst  into 
the  room  where  he  was  at  supper.  The  enemy,''  he 
cried,  *'the  enemy  has  landed!"  Harold  rose,  for  day- 
break had  arrived.  He  knew  William  and  the  Normans 
sufficiently  well  to  feel  confident  that  the  struggle  would 
be  fierce  and  prolonged. 

Time  was  precious.  Harold  was  accustomed  to  make 
forced  marches,  and  he  accordingly  started  for  London, 
ordering  on  his  road  all  the  earls  and  free  men  to  rally 
round  his  standard.  The  whole  country  rose  at  his  com- 
mand, and  large  forces  were  being  organized  in  different 
parts.  In  four  days  the  Saxon  will  have  a  hundred 
thousand  men  at  his  side,"  William  was  informed  by  one 
of  those  Normans  formerly  established  in  England  during 
the  reign  of  King  Edward,  who  served  him  as  spies.  But 
some  time  was  necessary  to  bring  together  these  confused 
masses  of  men  and  to  assemble  them  at  a  given  point. 
Harold,  in  his  haste,  had  not  given  them  time  to  do  so. 
He  had  arrived  in  London  ;  his  mother  Gytha  found  his 
army  worn-out  and  very  small  for  opposing  so  formidable 
an  enemy.       Do  not  risk  a  battle,  my  son,"  she  said  ; 

let  the  Normans  pursue  their  ravages  in  the  country, 
and  famine  will  rid  you  of  them."  Harold  trembled  with 
indignation.  Would  you  have  me  ruin  my  kingdom  ?" 
he  said.  By  my  faith,  it  would  be  treason  ;  I  prefer  to 
put  my  trust  in  the  strength  of  my  arm  and  the  justice  of 
my  cause."  His  young  brother,  Gurth,  persisted,  for  the 
oath  made  to  the  Duke  William  weighed  upon  his  con- 


Chap.  IV.]      CONQUEST  BY  THE  NORMANS, 


99 


science.  Either  under  constraint,  or  by  your  own  free 
will/'  he  said,  you  swore,  and  your  oath  will  paralyze 
your  arm  during  the  conflict.  We  have  promised  nothing  ; 
leave  us  to  defend  the  kingdom.  You  shall  avenge  us  if 
we  should  be  killed."  Harold  smiled  bitterly  at  the  re- 
membrance of  the  Duke's  perfidy,  but  he  was  inflexible, 
and  he  started  the  same  day  for  Hastings  with  a  force 
very  much  less  than  that  of  William. 

King  Harold's  first  idea  was  to  suddenly  attack  the 
enemy,  who  had  been  intrenched  during  a  fortnight  in 
their  camp  ;  but  the  Normans  were  well  defended ;  their 
trenches  had  been  skilfully  constructed,  and  the  Saxon 
therefore  abandoned  his  project,  and  selecting  also  a  strong 
position  upon  a  hill  near  Hastings,  he  fortified  it  in  the 
fashion  of  his  country  with  a  line  of  stakes  of  about  a 
man's  height,  and  with  a  rampart  of  latticed  branches, 
which  was  to  protect  the  bulk  of  his  army  when  the  first 
line  should  have  passed  outside  the  stakes  to  defend  the 
approaches  to  the  camp. 

Harold  was  uneasy  ;  very  few  troops  had  had  time  to 
join  him,  and  the  Norman  army  was  as  strong  as  it  was 
well  disciplined.  He,  however,  laughed  aloud  when  three 
Saxon  spies,  who  had  penetrated  into  William's  camp, 
came  and  informed  him,  that  having  been  recognized  and 
taken  over  the  camp  by  order  of  the  Duke,  they  had  seen 
more  priests  than  warriors  in  the  Norman  army.  They 
had  mistaken  for  priests  all  the  warriors  who  had  closely 
shaven  faces  and  short  hair,  for  the  English  at  that  time 
wore  long  flowing  hair  and  long  moustaches.  All  these 
priests  are  good  warriors,"  said  the  king,  and  you  will 
shortly  see  them  at  work." 

William  did  not  yet  begin  the  attack.  A  Norman 
monk  presented  himself  in  Harold's  camp.  The  Duke 
William  makes  three  proposals,"  said  he;     first,  to  give 


lOO 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  IV. 


up  your  kingdom  to  him  ;  secondly,  to  submit  his  claim 
to  the  arbitration  of  the  Pope;  or,  lastly,  to  decide  the 
quarrel  by  single  combat."  I  will  not  give  up  my  king- 
dom, I  will  not  put  the  matter  in  the  hands  of  the  Pope, 
and  I  refuse  the  challenge  to  fight,"  replied  Harold  curtly. 
The  monk  returned  to  the  Norman  camp ;  but  he  soon 
reappeared,  bearing  another  message :  if  you  will  be 
faithful  to  your  compact  with  him,  the  Duke  will  allow  you 
to  keep  possession  of  all  the  country  north  of  the  Humber, 
and  will  give  to  your  brother  Gurth  the  land  which  was 
formerly  held  by  Godwin.  If  you  refuse,  you  are  a  per- 
jurer and  a  liar,  and  all  who  fight  for  you  shall  be 
excommunicated  by  the  Pope." 

The  Saxon  chiefs  looked  at  each  other ;  but  the  love  of 
liberty  was  stronger  than  their  religious  fears.  The 
Norman  has  given  away  everything  beforehand  to  his 
soldiers,"  they  said,  both  land  and  goods.  Where 
should  v/e  go,  if  we  should  lose  our  country  ?"  And  they 
resolved  to  die  fighting  to  die  last. 

The  night  of  the  13th  of  October,  1066,  was  passed 
very  differently  in  the  two  camps.  William's  strict  disci- 
pline only  allowed  religious  music  or  devotional  practices. 
After  the  fashion  of  the  ancient  Saxons  and  of  the  Danes, 
whose  blood  had  become  mixed  with  theirs,  the  English 
soldiers  were  eating,  laughing,  and  singing  warlike  songs. 
At  daybreak,  after  holy  mass  had  been  celebrated,  the 
Normans  issued  from  their  camp.  They  were  divided  into 
three  bodies,  all  preceded  by  archers.  The  duke  was 
mounted  on  a  Barbary  horse  which  he  had  brought  from 
Spain.  He  bore  on  his  neck,  in  a  golden  casket,  one  of  the 
relics  upon  which  Harold  had  sworn  the  oath,  as  a  silent 
witness  of  the  lattcr's  perfidy.  By  his  side  a  young  cava- 
lier, Toustain  Ic  Blanc,  was  holding  up  aloft  the  standard 
sent  by  the  pope.    Odo,  bishop  of  Bayeux,  was  marching 


Chap.  IV.]    CONQUEST  BY  THE  NORMANS,  loi 

through  the  ranks  mounted  upon  his  great  white  horse, 
and  wearing  a  breastplate  and  helmet 

"  See  how  well  he  rides,"  said  the  Norman,  looking  at 
William.  He  is  a  graceful  Duke,  and  will  be  a  graceful 
king."    And  they  advanced  joyfully  behind  him. 

At  seven  o'clock  the  attack  on  the  Saxon  camp  began. 
Taillefer,  the  knight-minstrel  of  the  Norman  army,  was 
marching  in  front,  singing  the  song  of  Roland.  The 
Normans  cried,  Our  Lady,  help  us  !"  The  monks  who 
had  come  with  them  to  the  field  of  battle  had  retired  to 
pray. 

Three  times  the  Normans  were  repulsed.  It  was  noon. 
In  spite  of  the  arrows  of  the  archers,  which  inflicted  great 
losses  on  the  Saxon,  and  one  of  which  had  destroyed 
Harold's  left  eye,  the  English  camp  held  good  at  all  points. 
The  duke's  horse  had  been  killed  during  an  assault; 
a  rumor  had  gone  forth  that  William  was  dead ;  but 
immediately  taking  off  his  helmet,  and  showing  himself 
bareheaded  to  his  affrighted  soldiers,  he  cried  out,  Here 
I  am !  Look  at  me  ;  I  am  living,  and  I  will  conquer,  with 
God's  help."  Some  were  already  taking  to  flight ;  these 
he  held  back  with  his  long  lance,  and  reconducted  to  the 
attack  on  the  enemy's  camp.  All  the  defenders  of  the 
rampart  were  killed,  but  the  twig  hurdles  still  protected 
the  bulk  of  the  Saxon  army.  The  Normans  pretended  to 
fly  ;  the  Saxons  rushed  forth  in  pursuit  of  them  and  were 
all  killed.  The  remainder  could  no  longer  resist;  the 
Normans  therefore  beat  down  the  barrier  and  entered 
sword  in  hand. 

Around  Harold's  banner,  his  chosen  warriors  had  formed 
themselves  into  a  compact  circle,  the  ring  of  death  "  as 
the  Danes  called  it.  Harold  was  there  with  his  two 
brothers,  Gurth  and  Leofwin.  The  fight  recommenced 
furiously  between  the  Normans  and  these  brave  men ;  not 


IC2 


HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND. 


[Chap.  IV. 


one  of  them  receded  ;  the  heaps  of  bodies  of  the  slain 
Normans  formed  a  rampart  for  them,  when  twenty  of 
their  foes  advanced  together.  They  had  sworn  to  cut  a 
passage  through  the  Enghsh  or  to  perish  to  a  man.  Ten 
of  them  fell,  but  the  ranks  of  the  Saxons  remained 
unbroken.  William  rushed  to  the  attack,  followed  by  his 
best  warriors.  The  English  soldiers  were  dying  at  their 
posts,  immovable  as  the  oaks  in  their  forests.  Gurth  was 
dead,  Leofwin  was  dying,  bathed  in  blood,  and  Harold 
alone  was  still  fighting  at  the  foot  of  his  banner.  At  sun- 
set he  fell,  in  his  turn,  and  the  standard  of  the  pope 
replaced  the  golden  Dragon  of  Wessex.  All  the  English 
earls  were  stretched  upon  the  field  of  battle,  and  the  few 
Saxons  who  still  remained  were  slowly  retreating  ;  yet  so 
dauntless  were  they,  even  in  defeat,  that  the  Normans  did 
not  dare  to  disperse  while  it  was  still  dark.  Eustace  of 
Boulogne,  speaking  to  Duke  William,  was  struck  down  by 
an  unexpected  blow. 

On  the  morrow,  at  daybreak,  Godwin's  widow,  whom 
William's  pretensions  to  the  English  crown  had  deprived 
of  four  sons,  came  and  asked  permission  to  take  away  the 
bodies  of  her  relations.  Gurth  and  Leofwin  had  fallen 
together,  at  the  foot  of  the  banner.  No  one  could  find  the 
body  of  Harold.  His  own  mother  could  not  distinguish 
him,  but  was  obliged  to  send  for  Swan-necked  "  Edith, 
whom  her  son  had  loved.  Edith  pointed  to  a  body 
covered  with  wounds  and  disfigured  by  sword-thrusts. 

That  is  Harold!"  she  said.  He  was  borne  with  his 
brothers  to  Waltham  Abbey,  where  he  was  buried  beneath 
a  stone  bearing  simply  this  inscription :     Infelix  Harold." 


EDITH  FINDING  THE  BODY  OF  HAROLD. 


Chap.  V.]     THE  NORMANS  IN  ENGLAND, 


103 


CHAPTER  V. 


ESTABLISHMENT     OF     THE     NORMANS    IN  ENGLAND. 
1066 — 1087. 


ING  HAROLD  was  dead,  but  England  was  not 


subdued.  The  Wittenagemot  had  ah'eady  reassem- 
bled in  London  to  choose  a  new  leader  for  resistance  to 
the  invasion.  The  sons  of  Harold  were  still  children  ;  and 
in  accordance  with  a  passion  for  hereditary  right  remarka- 
ble in  a  country  v/hich  had  often  rejected  that  principle, 
the  popular  assembly  chose  Edgar  Atheling,  a  grand- 
nephew  of  Edward  the  Confessor,  to  receive  the  perilous 
title  of  king  of  England.  But  Edgar  was  young,  his 
intellect  was  feeble,  and  the  chiefs  who  surrounded  him 
were  haughty  and  undisciplined.  Stigand,  the  archbishop 
of  Canterbury,  was  still  endeavoring  to  organize  the  army, 
with  the  assistance  of  the  Earls  Edwin  and  Morcar,  when 
the  approach  of  the  Normans  rendered  it  necessary  to 
make  an  immediate  effort.  After  leaving  Hastings,  near 
which  town  he  afterwards  built  Battle  Abbey,  the  Con- 
queror had  begun  his  march  upon  London.  The  city  was 
well  defended  :  after  a  slight  attack  William  set  fire  to 
Southwark,  and,  spreading  his  troops  over  the  country, 
pillaged  the  domains  of  all  the  thanes  assembled  at  the 
Wittenagemot.  He  enclosed  the  capital  in  a  circle  of  fire 
and  plunder  which  raised  fears  of  a  famine.  Edwin  and 
Morcar,  as  well  as  the  Saxon  prelates,  had  already  begun 
to  lose  courage.  The  reinforcements  expected  from  the 
distant  provinces  were  stopped  by  the  Normans.  William 
was  at  Berkhampstead,  still  threatening  London.  An 
embassy  was  despatched  with  a  view  to  conciliate  him. 


104 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  V 


Soon  afterwards  the  young  king  Edgar  and  all  his  counsel- 
lors, including  Stigand,  Edwin,  and  Morcar,  presented 
themselves  before  the  Norman — the  king  to  renounce  his 
empty  title,  the  earls  to  swear  fidelity  to  the  conqueror. 
The  duke  received  them  affably :  he  promised  in  his  turn 
to  govern  with  mildness,  in  accordance  v/ith  the  ancient 
laws,  and  raising  his  camp  at  Berkhampstead  he  advanced 
towards  London.  For  a  moment  he  had  appeared  to 
hesitate  with  regard  to  the  opportunity  for  his  coronation ; 
but  his  barons  urged  him  to  take  the  title  which  he  had 
won  at  the  point  of  the  sword,  and  William  voluntarily 
allowed  himself  to  be  guided  by  them,  though  only  con- 
senting to  stay  in  London  after  he  should  have  built  a 
fortress  for  his  residence. 

He  had  need  to  defend  himself :  for  at  every  step  the 
hostihty  of  the  people  over  whom  he  sought  to  rule  dis- 
played itself  energetically.  On  arriving  at  St.  Alban's  the 
Normans  found  the  way  obstructed  by  a  number  of  large 
trees  thrown  across  the  road.  Who  has  done  this 
inquired  WiUiam  angrily.  I,"  replied  the  Abbot  of  St. 
Alban's,  presenting  himself  before  him  ;  and  if  others  of 
my  rank  and  profession  had  done  as  much,  you  would  not 
have  advanced  as  far  as  this.'*  The  conqueror  did  no 
harm  to  the  proud  abbot ;  but  on  the  day  of  his  corona- 
tion he  surrounded  Westminster  Abbey  with  battalions  of 
his  Normans  before  entering  beneath  its  majestic  roof, 
attended  by  his  barons  and  by  the  Saxons  who  in  a  small 
number  had  rallied  round  him.  Stigand  had  submitted ; 
but  lie  had  refused  to  crown  tlie  usurper.  This  duty, 
therefore,  fell  upon  the  Archbishop  of  York,  Aldred,  a 
prudent  man,  who  was  able  to  discern  the  signs  of  the 
times.  At  the  moment  when  the  duke  entered  the  church 
the  acclamations  of  the  bystanders  were  so  noisy  that  the 
Norm.ans  posted  outside,  believing  that  they  were  fighting 


Chap.  V.]    THE  NORMANS  IN  ENGLAND, 


in  the  sacred  edifice,  rushed  into  the  neighboring  houses 
and  set  them  afire.  The  cries  of  the  inhabitants,  the  clatter 
of  arms,  frightened  in  their  turn  the  spectators  of  the  cere- 
mony ;  they  hurried  in  a  crowd  to  the  door,  hastening  to 
get  out,  and  Wilham  soon  found  himself  almost  alone  in 
the  church  with  the  priests  and  some  devoted  friends. 
The  coronation  ceremony,  however,  continued,  and  when 
the  Duke  of  Normandy  had  issued  from  the  church  to 
appease  the  tumult  he  had  become  king  of  England.  The 
Normans  had  dispersed  to  extinguish  the  fires  or  pillage 
the  houses;  the  Saxons  murmured  against  them  under  the 
sombre  prognostications  of  a  reign  thus  inaugurated  by 
fire  and  sword.  William  left  London  almost  immediately, 
and  his  first  measures,  mild  and  conciliatory  in  their  nature, 
attracted  around  him  a  considerable  number  of  Saxon 
chiefs,  to  whom  he  confirmed  the  title  to  their  domains. 
A  great  extent  of  territory  had  already  fallen  into  his 
hands,  but  the  time  for  dividing  the  spoil  had  not  yet 
arrived.  In  the  month  of  March,  1067,  William  crossed 
over  into  Normandy,  having  entrusted  the  government  of 
England  to  his  brother,  the  Bishop  of  Bayeux. 

Was  his  object  to  place  in  security  the  treasures  which  he 
had  acquired,  or  to  give  time  for  insurrections  to  break 
out  in  order  to  suppress  them  energetically?  Whatever 
may  have  been  his  motives  he  remained  eight  months  in 
Normandy,  enriching  the  churches  and  abbeys  with  the 
spoils  gathered  in  England,  and  conducting  through  his 
hereditary  states  the  dangerous  subjects  whom  he  had 
brought  in  his  suite,  Stigand,  Edwin,  Morcar,  and  the 
youthful  Edgar  Atheling. 

Meanwiiilc  the  Saxons  were  groaning  under  the  exac- 
tions of  Odo  of  Bayeux,  and  did  not  confine  tliemselvc:s  to 
groans.  The  risings  became  numerous ;  the  inhabitants 
of  Kent  had  called  to  their  assistance  Eustace  of  Boulogne, 


io6 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


[Chap.  V. 


who  had  previously  been  the  cause  of  the  discontent  of  the 
English  with  Edward  the  Confessor,  and  who  was  now  at 
enmity  with  the  Conqueror.  He  came  ;  but  Dover  Castle 
opposed  to  his  attacks  an  unexpected  resistance,  which 
allowed  the  Normans  time  to  arrive  and  repulse  him. 
William  had  returned  to  England  when,  in  1068,  the  ill- 
feeling  of  the  population  of  Devon  drew  upon  that  county 
the  attention  of  the  conquerors.  The  aged  Githa,  the 
mother  of  Harold,  was  living  at  Exeter,  whither  she  had 
carried  all  her  wealth.  The  fortress  refused  to  receive  Wil- 
liam and  his  garrison,  offering  only  to  pay  the  taxes  which 
were  wont  to  be  paid  to  the  Saxon  kings.  I  desire  sub- 
jects, and  do  not  accept  their  conditions,"  said  William, 
who  ordered  the  assault  to  be  commenced.  The  city  was 
well  defended  ;  it  resisted  for  eighteen  days.  At  length 
the  magistrates,  less  firm  than  the  citizens,  opened  the 
gates,  and  the  inhabitants  paid  cruelly  for  their  obstinacy. 
Githa,  and  the  ladies  of  her  suite,  succeeded  in  escaping, 
and  in  concealing  themselves  in  the  little  islands  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Severn,  whence  they  set  sail  for  Flanders. 
But  scarcely  was  the  outbreak  extinguished  in  the  South 
when  it  broke  forth  in  the  North.  Earl  Edwin,  to  whom 
William  had  lately  refused  to  give  the  hand  of  one  of  his 
daughters,  as  he  had  previously  promised,  had  w^ithdrawn 
himself  from  his  court,  and  the  vassals,  as  well  as  the 
friends  of  the  earl,  had  already  gathered  around  him  in 
Northumbria.  The  Conqueror  at  once  commenced  his 
march,  and  entering  York  took  up  his  position  there  after 
expelling  the  Saxons.  While  he  was  pillaging  and  ravag- 
ing the  environs  the  old  Archbishop  Aldred,  whose  con- 
voys had  been  seized,  came  to  make  complaint  to  the 
king,  and  reproaching  him  with  the  cruelties  committed  in 
his  name.  Thou  art  a  foreigner.  King  William,''  he 
exclaimed,     yet  H[eaven  desiring  to  punish  our  nation, 


Chap.  V.]      THE  NORMANS  IN  ENGLAND. 


107 


thou  hast  obtained  this  kingdom  of  England  at  t!  ic  price 
of  much  bloodshed,  and  I  have  anointed  thee  with  my 
own  hands.  But  I  now  curse  thee  and  thy  race,  because 
thou  hast  persecuted  the  Church  of  God  and  oppressed  its 
servants."  Several  Normans  had  already  grasped  the 
hilts  of  their  swords;  but  William  restrained  them,  and 
permitted  the  priest  to  return  in  safety  into  his  palace, 
where  he  fell  sick  and  died  soon  afterward. 

The  capture  of  York  had  not  discouraged  the  Northum- 
brians; they  attacked  the  Normans  in  Durham,  and 
massacred  them  in  numbers  ;  they  had  also  received  im- 
portant reinforcements.  Sweyn,  king  of  Denmark,  at  the 
solicitation  of  the  sons  of  Harold,  had  sent  assistance  to 
the  insurgents ;  two  hundred  and  forty  Danish  vessels 
were  approaching  the  coasts.  Edgar  Atheling,  having 
sought  refuge  in  Scotland  with  King  Malcolm,  who  had 
married  his  sister  Margaret,  had  lately  joined  the  Saxon 
army  and  promised  support  to  his  brother-in-lav/.  Before 
the  Conqueror  was  apprised  of  this  new  danger  York  was 
recaptured  by  the  insurgents,  and  Edgar  Atheling  had 
assumed  once  more  the  title  of  king,  which  he  had  formerly 
laid  at  the  feet  of  the  Norman.  But  winter  came,  and 
William  was  already  assembling  his  army.  Settling  hastily 
the  affairs  which  had  called  him  Southward  he  took  once 
more  the  road  towards  the  North,  and  entered  into  secret 
negotiations  with  the  Danes,  insomuch  that  at  the  moment 
that  he  appeared  under  the  walls  of  York  the  pirates 
weighed  anchor  and  sailed  again  down  the  coast,  pillaging 
the  Saxon  villages  which  the  king  had  abandoned  to  them 
before  taking  again  the  road  towards  their  country. 

Malcolm,  the  king  of  Scotland,  had  now  come  to  the 
assistance  of  the  insurgents.  York  was  again  taken  and 
put  to  fire  and  sword.  King  William  then  carried  his 
anger  and  his  vengeance  into  all  the  counties  of  the  North ; 


io8 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  V. 


not  a  village  which  was  not  burnt,  not  a  domain  which 
was  not  confiscated.  The  churches,  and  even  the  monas- 
teries found  no  shelter  against  Norman  rapacity.  The 
inhabitants  of  Beverley  had  amassed  their  treasures  in  the 
church  dedicated  to  St.  John  of  Beverley,  a  Saxon  like 
themselves,  who  owed  them  protection.  This,  however, 
had  no  effect  on  the  Normans,  and  Toutain,  one  of  the 
battle  chiefs  of  William,  penetrated  on  horseback  into  the 
church  of  the  monastery,  in  pursuit  of  the  fugitives  who 
had  taken  refuge  there.  His  horse  slipped  upon  the 
marble  pavement  of  the  sanctuary  and  the  horseman  was 
killed.  St.  John  of  Beverley  had  protected  his  country- 
men, and  the  Normans  withdrew  from  his  abbey.  Edgar 
Atheling  had  taken  refuge  again  in  Scotland  ;  but  this 
time  the  insurrection  had  found  a  true  chief  Hcreward, 
lord  of  Born,  a  warrior  celebrated  by  his  adventures 
abroad,  had  intrenched  himself  in  the  isle  of  Ely,  which 
he  called  the  Camp  of  Refuge,  and  from  all  sides  the  op- 
pressed English  gathered  around  him.  William  ordered 
the  Earls  Edwin  and  Morcar,  who  had  returned  to  his 
court,  to  be  carefully  watched.  They  were  apprised  of 
the  fact  and  secretly  fled.  Edwin  was  overtaken  and  slain 
by  the  soldiers  who  pursued  him  ;  but  Morcar  succeeded 
in  reaching  the  isle  of  Ely.  Thence  Hcreward  undertook 
expeditions  into  the  surrounding  country,  and  kept  at  bay 
all  the  troops  which  William  sent  against  him.  He  even 
defied  Yves  Taillebois,  one  of  the  king's  favorites,  whom 
William  had  recently  induced  to  marry  Lucy,  a  sister  to 
Edwin  and  Morcar,  and  whose  intolerable  tyranny  con- 
tributed to  maintain  the  insurrection  in  the  Eastern 
counties.  But  King  William  caused  the  little  isle  to  be 
invested,  cutting  off  from  it  provisions  and  reinforcements. 
The  monks  of  the  monastery  grew  weary  of  that  compul- 
sory fast,  and  indicated   to  the  Normans  the  points  of 


Chap.  V.]    THE  IsORMANS  IN  ENGLAND, 


attack.  The  Saxons  were  beaten  :  the  Bishop  of  Durham 
and  Earl  Morcar  were  taken  and  cast  into  prison  for  the 
remainder  of  their  hves.  Hereward  succeeded  in  escaping, 
and  in  maintaining  an  irregular  warfare  ;  but,  won  over  at 
last  by  the  proposals  of  William,  who  sincerely  admired  his 
indomitable  courage,  he  consented  to  lay  down  his  arms. 
He  lived  long  afterwards  upon  his  domains,  which  the 
Conqueror  permitted  him  to  enjoy. 

The  Camp  of  Refuge  was  destroyed,  and  the  county  of 
Northumberland  was  given  by  William  to  the  Saxon 
Waltheof,  a  warrior  esteemed  by  his  countrymen,  whom 
William  had  attached  to  him  by  giving  him  the  hand  of 
his  niece  Judith.  Being  called  away  into  Normandy  in 
consequence  of  a  rising  of  the  inhabitants  of  Maine,  the 
king  took  with  him  an  English  army,  which  fought  as 
valiantly  for  him  as  it  had  against  him  shortly  before. 
During  his  sojourn  on  the  Continent  he  received  into  favor 
Edgar  Atheling,  who  had  recently  failed  in  a  new  attempt 
instigated  by  the  king  of  France,  Philippe  L;  the  descend- 
ant of  King  Alfred  took  up  his  abode  at  Rouen,  where  he 
passed  eleven  years  of  his  life  in  amusing  himself  with  his 
horses  and  dogs. 

A  fresh  insurrection  recalled  William  into  England. 
On  this  occasion  it  was  the  Normans  themselves  who 
revolted  against  him.  His  faithful  companion,  William 
FitzOsbern,  was  dead,  and  his  son  Roger,  earl  of  Here- 
ford like  his  father,  had  contracted  a  marriage  with  the 
sister  of  Ralph  de  Waher,  or  Guader,  a  Breton  knight,  who 
had  accompanied  William,  and  had  been  created  Earl  of 
Norfolk.  This  union  was  distasteful  to  the  king,  who  had 
endeavored  to  prevent  it,  for  he  did  not  like  the  Bretons. 
After  the  nuptials  the  party  was  excited  :  FitzOsbern  and 
Waher  spoke  of  the  tyranny  of  King  William,  and  pro- 
posed his  overthrow.     Waltheof,  who  was  present,  had 


110 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,       [Chap.  V. 


listened,  but  without  taking  part  in  the  conspiracy.  He 
had  merely  promised  secrecy ;  but  the  secret  was  betrayed 
by  his  wife,  who  disliked  him,  and  desired  to  rid  herself 
of  her  husband.  Lanfranc,  who  had  become  Archbishop 
of  Canterbury  upon  the  deposition  of  Stigand,  and  who 
was  invested  with  power  in  the  absence  of  his  master, 
despatched  an  army  against  the  rebels.  The  latter  had 
been  obliged  to  declare  themselves  before  their  preparations 
were  completed.  When  the  king  recrossed  the  sea  the 
insurrection  was  already  almost  suppressed.  Waher  was 
banished,  together  with  a  great  number  of  Bretons ;  Ficz- 
Osbern  was  put  in  prison  ;  the  unfortunate  Waltheof,  who 
had  not  taken  up  arms,  but  who  was  a  Saxon,  son  of  the 
glorious  Siward,  and  Earl  of  Northumbria,  was  executed, 
to  the  great  indignation  of  his  fellow-countrymen,  who 
came  in  crowds  to  pray  at  his  tomb,  and  attributed  to  him 
numerous  miracles.  William  did  not  allow  Judith  to 
marry  the  man  for  whom  she  had  sacrificed  her  husband. 
She,  on  her  part,  refused  the  marriage  which  he  offered 
her ;  and  the  king,  having  stripped  her  of  all  her  posses- 
sions, this  wicked  woman  was  reduced  to  wander  some- 
times in  England,  sometimes  on  the  Continent,  bearing 
with  her  everywhere  tokens  of  her  misery  and  shame. 

Thus  ended  the  great  insurrection  in  England.  William 
was  master  of  the  country,  and  the  harsh  repressive 
measures  which  he  had  employed  at  length  bore  their 
fruits.  The  Saxons  murmured  under  the  weight  of  their 
misfortunes,  but  no  longer  dared  to  revolt.  The  king, 
frequently  called  into  Normandy  by  his  quarrels  with  his 
eldest  son,  Robert  Curthose,  was  able  now  to  leave 
England  without  anxiety.  When  he  arrived  at  manhood 
Robert  had  called  on  his  father  to  divest  himself  in  his 
favor  of  the  duchy  of  Normandy.  I  am  not  accustomed 
to  throw  off  my  clothing  before  going  to  bed,"  replied 


CiiAP.  v.]    THE  NORMANS  IN  ENGLAND. 


William,  and  Robert  irritated,  had  revolted  against  his 
father  and  endeavored  to  arouse  against  him  embarrass- 
ments and  enemies  on  all  sides.  In  vain  had  his  mother 
Matilda,  who  loved  him  tenderly,  endeavored  m.any  times 
to  reconcile  him  with  his  father.  Robert  could  not  endure 
the  yoke  of  paternal  authority.  He  journeyed  about  the 
Continent,  expatiating  on  his  grievances  and  squandering 
the  money  which  his  mother  sent  to  him  secretly,  to  the 
great  vexation  of  WilHam.  He  received  assistance  from 
the  king  of  France,  Philippe  I.,  who  detested  his  father, 
and  who  installed  him  in  the  fortress  of  Gerberoi,  on  the 
confines  of  Normandy,  whence  it  was  easy  for  him  to  pil- 
lage the  neighboring  territory.  William  besieged  Ger- 
beroi. During  a  sortie  Robert  found  himself  face  to  face 
with  a  knight  of  robust  form,  concealed  by  his  armor,  and 
having  his  vizor  lowered,  with  whom  he  contended  for 
some  time.  At  length  he  unseated  him,  and  was  on  the 
point  of  despatching  his  antagonist,  when  the  wounded 
knight  called  his  people  to  his  aid,  and  Robert  recognized 
the  voice  of  his  father.  In  spite  of  his  vanity  Robert's 
heart  was  accessible  to  generous  sentiments.  He  threw 
himself  on  his  knees  before  his  prostrate  father,  entreated 
his  pardon,  raised  him  with  his  own  hands  and  set  him  on 
his  horse.  A  reconciliation  followed,  for  Robert  was 
softened  and  penitent.  But  a  fresh  quarrel  soon  hurried 
the  son  out  of  Normandy.  He  set  forth  bearing  with  him 
a  malediction  which  his  father  never  revoked. 

While  the  rebellions  of  his  eldest  son  detained  the  Con- 
queror in  his  Norman  domains,  his  brother  Odo,  bishop 
of  Bayeux,  whom  he  had  created  Earl  of  Kent,  had  made 
himself  detested  in  England.  A  brave  and  able  warrior, 
tlie  bishop  had  often  led  to  battle  the  soldiers  of  William  ; 
but  he  had  taken  advantage  of  his  influence  to  oppress  the 
poor  Saxons,  extorting  from  them  enormous  riches.  His 


112  HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND,        [Chap.  V. 


vast  treasures,  the  grand  position  which  his  brother 
occupied,  and  the  conquests  of  the  Normans  in  Italy  had 
awakened  in  the  heart  of  the  Bishop  of  Bayeux  the  hope 
of  becoming  Pope.  He  had  bought  a  palace  in  Rome 
and  had  sent  there  a  great  deal  of  money ;  when  he 
resolved  to  go  himself  into  Italy,  and  began  to  make 
preparations  for  his  journey,  gathering  around  him  a  num- 
ber of  Norman  pilgrims  anxious  to  obtain  pardon  for  their 
sins  by  that  holy  enterprise. 

Scarcely,  however,  had  William  become  cognizant  of 
his  brother's  project,  when  he  returned  from  Normandy, 
and  meeting  the  prelate  in  the  Isle  of  Wight,  caused  him 
to  be  immediately  arrested.  Then,  reassembling  his 
council,  he  enumerated  before  the  barons  his  grievances 
against  the  Bishop  of  Bayeux,  his  cruelties,  his  extor- 
tions, his  secret  manoeuvres.  What  does  such  a  brother 
deserve  ?"   he  asked    in    conclusion.    No    one  replied. 

Let  him  be  arrested,"  said  the  king,  and  I  will  see  to 
him.'*  The  barons  hesitated:  William  himself  advanced 
towards  his  brother.  Thou  hast  not  the  right  to  touch 
me,"  exclaimed  Odo,  I  am  a  priest  and  a  bishop  ;  the 
Pope  alone  is  empowered  to  condemn  me."  I  am  not 
judging  the  Bishop  of  Bayeux,  but  the  Earl  of  Kent," 
replied  William;  and  having  sent  him  across  the  sea  into 
Normandy,  he  imprisoned  his  brother  in  a  dungeon,  to 
the  great  satisfaction  of  the  English,  who  detested  him. 

William  had  lost  his  wife  Queen  Matilda  in  1083  ;  the 
only  softening  influence  which  had  tempered  that  imperious 
will  had  disappeared.  His  two  remaining  sons,  William 
and  Henry,  quarrelled  with  each  other:  the  Danes  were 
again  threatening  the  shores  of  England,  where  they  could 
easily  have  found  support,  and  the  English,  sullen  and 
subjected,  nourished  in  their  hearts  a  deep  hatred  towards 
the  sovereign  who  had  despoiled  them,  not  only  to  enrich 


Chap,  V.]    THE  NORMANS  IN  ENGLAND.  113 


his  Norman  adherents,  but  in  favor  of  the  stags  and  deer, 
"  whom  (says  the  chronicle)  he  loved  like  his  children,"  and 
for  whose  sake  he  had  created  or  enlarged  forests,  while  be 
had  destroyed  towns,  villages,  and  monasteries  which 
interfered  with  the  preservation  of  game,  or  the  pleasures 
of  the  chase,  the  passion  for  which  he  transmitted  to  his 
descendants. 

It  was  during  these  years  of  doubtful  repose  that 
William  caused  to  be  compiled  the  Domesday  Book,  a 
complete  record  of  the  state  of  property  in  England,  in 
repute  to  this  day,  and  an  indispensable  labor  after  a  con- 
quest which  had  resulted  in  the  transfer  of  nearly  all  the 
domains  to  other  hands.  William  had  divided  the 
immense  territories  of  which  he  had  possessed  himself 
into  60,215  fees  of  knights  who  had  all  sworn  to  liim  the 
oath  of  fidelity.  Six  hundred  great  vassals  holding 
directly  from  the  crown  had  also  sworn  to  him  faith  and 
homage  as  their  suzerain  lord ;  and  lest  their  united 
influence  should  become  dangerous,  the  king  had  scattered 
their  fiefs  in  diflerent  parts  of  the  country  among  their 
enemies  the  Saxons.  Perhaps  unconsciously  William  had 
thus  obviated  the  greater  part  of  the  inconveniences  of 
the  conquest.  This  was  not  like  the  case  of  a  feeble  and 
effeminate  people  exhausted  by  oppression  as  were  the 
Gauls  at  the  moment  of  the  invasion  of  the  Germans.  In 
England,  two  nations  of  the  same  origin  and  the  same 
religion,  equally  brave  and  obstinate,  had  found  themselves 
face  to  face.  The  Saxons  were  strong  enough  to  resist 
their  conquerors  step  by  step.  The  Normans  could  not 
completely  oppress  a  people  always  ready  to  revolt,  who 
had  long  possessed  institutions  fitted  for  developing 
individual  liberty. 

Thus  compelled  to  reckon  with  the   conquered,  the 

Normans  necessarily  acquired  by  degrees  a  greater  respect 
8 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND, 


[Chap.  V 


for  liberty  than  they  had  felt  under  the  Norman  feudal 
r 'gime.  The  persecuted  Saxons  remained  united  in  order 
to  preserve  some  power  of  resistance :  the  Normans 
triumphant,  but  few  in  number  among  their  enemies,  were 
in  their  turn  compelled  to  agree  together,  that  they  might 
not  be  crushed.  Governed  by  the  feudal  law,  they  owed 
to  the  king  their  lord  feudal  service  and  certain  gifts  or 
dues  under  definite  conditions :  the  Saxons,  who  by 
degrees  allied  themselves  with  WiUiam,  accepted  the  same 
conditions  on  receiving  their  fiefs,  without,  however, 
renouncing  the  law^s  peculiar  to  their  race  or  the  rural 
institutions  which  the  conquerors  did  not  use  themselves, 
and  did  not  always  permit  to  be  freely  exercised.  It  was 
nevertheless  to  this  assemblage  of  confused  regulations, 
requiring  long  years  to  bring  them  into  accord,  that  the 
two  nations  owed  the  preservation  of  their  strength  and 
their  liberties  during  the  fusion  which  was  slowly  in 
progress.  In  England,  as  on  the  Continent,  the  feudal 
lords  were  grand  justiciaries  upon  their  lands,  but  they 
had  acquired  the  habit  of  summoning  eight  or  ten  of  the 
principal  inhabitants  of  the  neighborhood  in  testimony  to 
the  truth  of  the  facts  alleged,  according  to  the  ancient 
Saxon  custom,  which  is  the  origin  of  juries.  When  the 
criminal  could  not  be  found,  the  parish  remained  responsi- 
ble for  fines  and  costs.  Thus  tlie  Saxons  and  the  Nor- 
mans came  to  perform  themselves  the  duties  of  police  and 
of  m.aintaining  order.  Instead  of  succumbing,  the  liberties 
of  England  developed  and  fortified  themselves  by  the 
conquest.    It  was  a  struggle,  but  not  an  oppression. 

Meanwhile  William  the  Conqueror  grew  weary  of  his 
inaction.  Gloomy  and  alone,  he  felt  the  need  of  the  noise 
of  combat  and  the  excitement  of  war.  Philippe  I.  had 
refused  to  yield  up  to  him  the  town  of  Mantes,  and  a 
portion  of  the  French  Vcxin  over  which  he  claimed  to 


Chap.  V.]      THE  NORMANS  IN  ENGLAND.  115 

have  right  as  duke  of  Normandy.  Philippe  had  even 
encouraged  his  barons  to  make  incursions  into  WiUiam's 
territory.  Uniting  his  Norman  barons  and  his  English 
vassals,  whose  valor  he  knew,  against  his  enemies,  he 
crossed  the  sea  in  the  latter  days  of  the  year  10S6,  to  seize 
by  force  of  arms  what  the  King  of  France  refused  to  yield 
to  negotiations.  On  arriving  in  France,  William  had  been 
taken  ill,  and  it  was  not  till  the  month  of  June  that  he  was 
at  length  able  to  march  against  Mantes,  which  he  captured 
and  cruelly  pillaged.  While  in  the  midst  of  the  burning 
town  he  was  encouraging  his  soldiers  when  his  horse 
slipped.  The  king  was  an  old  man  of  heavy  frame;  he  fell 
and  was  seriously  injured.  They  carried  him  to  Rouen, 
where  he  languished  six  weeks.  Remorse  now  seized 
him  ;  all  the  cruelties  of  his  life  rose  up  before  him  ;  he 
endeavored  to  expiate  them  by  gifts  to  the  poor  and 
endowments  of  the  churches.  His  two  younger  sons  were 
there,  anxious  to  know  in  what  way  the  king  was  about  to 
divide  his  heritage.  In  spite  of  his  anger  against  Robert, 
the  king  would  not  deprive  him  of  the  duchy  of  Normandy, 
where  he  had  been  able  to  make  friends.  ''I  leave  to  no 
one  the  kingdom  of  England,"  he  said,  *'for  I  did  not 
receive  it  as  a  heritage,  but  won  it  by  my  sword,  at  the 
price  of  much  bloodshed.  I  confide  it  therefore  to  the 
good-will  of  God,  desiring  nevertheless  that  it  should  go 
to  my  son  William,  who  has  always  obeyed  and  served 
me  in  all  things  and  he  wrote  to  the  Archbishop  Lan- 
franc,  to  recommend  him  to  crown  his  son. 

Henry  approached  his  father's  bed.  ''And  I  said  he. 
''  Do  you  leave  me  nothing  ?"  P^ive  thousand  pounds' 
weight  of  silver  from  my  treasury,"  replied  the  king,  whc 
was  now  dying.  And  what  shall  I  do  with  this  silver  if 
I  have  neither  house  nor  land  ?"  cried  the  young  man. 
"  Be  patient,  my  son,"  said  the  king,  *'  and  thou  shalt. 


ii6 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,       [Chap.  V 


perhaps,  be  greater  than  all.''  Henry  immediately  obtained 
payment  of  the  money  and  went  his  way,  while  his 
brother  William  set  out  for  England  in  order  to  accomplish 
his  father's  wishes  by  being  crowned  as  soon  as  possible. 
The  Conqueror  was  left  alone  upon  his  death-bed. 

It  was  the  9th  of  September,  1087.  WiUiam  was  sleep- 
ing heavily  when  he  was  awakened  by  the  sound  of  bells. 
*^What  is  that?"  he  inquired.  ^^The  bells  of  St.  Mary 
sounding  the  prime,"  was  the  answer.  ^'  I  commend  my 
soul  to  Our  Lady,  the  sainted  Mary,  and  to  God,"  said  the 
king,  raising  his  hand  towards  heaven,  and  he  expired, 
Plis  sons  had  left  him  when  dying :  his  attendants 
abandoned  him  when  dead.  A  sudden  stupor  seized  on 
the  entire  city  upon  the  death  of  this  powerful  and  terrible 
ruler.  When  the  monks  recovered  themselves,  and  flocked 
into  the  royal  palace  to  fulfil  the  duties  of  their  office,  they 
found  the  chamber  stripped  and  the  body  of  the  Conqueror 
almost  naked,  stretched  upon  the  ground.  The  king's 
sons  troubled  themselves  no  more  with  the  funeral  of  their 
father  than  they  had  done  with  regard  to  his  last  moments. 
His  body  was  conveyed  to  Caen,  and  it  was  a  country 
gentleman  named  Herluin  who  undertook  the  expenses, 
from  a  kind  disposition  and  for  the  love  of  God.  At  the 
church  of  St.  Stephen  of  Caen,  which  the  king  had  built 
and  endowed,  the  body  of  the  monarch  was  on  the  point 
of  being  placed  in  a  grave,  when  a  citizen  of  Caen,  named 
Azelin,  advanced  from  among  the  crowd  and  exclaimed. 
Bishop,  the  man  whom  you  have  praised  was  a  robber. 
The  ground  on  which  we  stand  is  mine ;  it  was  the  site  of 
my  father's  house,  which  he  took  from  me  to  build  his 
church.  I  claim  my  right,  and  in  the  name  of  God  I 
forbid  you  to  inter  him  in  my  ground,  or  to  cover  his 
body  with  earth  which  is  mine."  It  was  necessary  to  pay 
to  Azelin  the  just  compensation  which  he  claimed  before 


Chap.  VL] 


THE  NORMAN  KINGS. 


117 


the  body  was  allowed  to  be  deposited  in  the  grave  that 
awaited  it.  It  was  found  to  be  too  narrow,  and  they 
were  compelled  to  place  the  coffin  in  it  by  force,  to  the 
great  horror  of  the  bystanders  ;  and  not  till  then  was  the 
Conqueror  able  to  enjoy  in  peace  the  six  feet  of  earth 
required  for  his  last  resting-place. 

CPiAPTER  VI. 

THE    NORMAN    KINGS. — WILLIAM    RUFUS — HENRY  I. — 
STEPHEN.     (1087 — I  154.) 

ILLIAM  RUFUS  had  not  yet  set  sail  from  Wis- 
sant,  near  Calais,  when  he  received  intelligence 
of  the  death  of  his  father.  He  kept  the  news  secret ;  and 
obtained  possession  of  several  important  places  on  the  pre- 
text of  orders  which  he  had  received  from  the  deceased 
king.  It  was  not  until  he  had  helped  himself  freely  to  the 
treasure  of  the  Conqueror  at  Winchester,  and  had  made 
arrangements  with  the  Archbishop  Lanfranc,  that  he  pro- 
claimed the  death  of  his  father  and  his  own  claim  to  the 
crown.  The  bishop  had  been  careful  to  administer  to  the 
king  an  oath  binding  him  to  observe  the  laws  before  con- 
senting to  give  him  his  support ;  but  oaths  cost  little  to 
William.  Scarcely  had  he  been  declared  king  by  a  council 
of  barons  and  prelates,  hurriedly  assembled  on  the  26th  of 
September,  1087,  than  he  violated  his  original  engagements, 
and  cast  the  Saxon  prisoners,  whom  his  father  had  libera- 
ted on  his  death-bed,  again  into  prisons,  together  with  his 
Norman  captives. 

The  new  monarch  would  have  acted  more  wisely  if  he 
had  decided  on  a  directly  opposite  course.  Scarcely  had 
the  Bishop  of  Bayeux  and  his  companions  in  captivity  been 


ii8  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  VI 

set  at  liberty  than  they  placed  themselves  at  the  head  of 
the  malcontents.  The  great  barons  all  possessed  fiefs  in 
Normandy  and  in  England  :  the  separation  of  the  two 
States,  therefore,  displeased  them.  Many  of  them  resolved 
to  depose  William  in  order  to  secure  to  Robert  an  undi- 
vided paternal  inheritance.  In  consequence  of  their 
manoeuvres  a  serious  insurrection  broke  out  simultaneously 
in  several  parts  of  England.  Robert  Curthose  had 
promised  to  support  his  partisans  with  a  Norman  army, 
and  already  some  small  bodies  of  troops  had  put  to  sea, 
confident  of  meeting  with  no  resistance  on  the  part  of  the 
king,  who  was  vv^ithout  a  fleet.  William  Rufus  took  his 
measures,  and  called  round  him  that  English  nation  which 
his  father  had  scarcely  subjected.  Let  him  who  is  not  a 
man  of  nothing,  either  in  the  towns  or  in  the  country,  leave 
his  home  and  come.''  Such  was  the  proclamation  in  all 
the  counties  according  to  the  ancient  Saxon  custom.  The 
Saxons  obeyed :  thirty  thousand  men  assembled  round 
King  William.,  while  the  merchant  ships,  already  numerous, 
were  cruising  in  the  Channel  and  destroying,  one  after  the 
other,  the  little  flotillas  which  were  bringing  over  the 
Normans.  Bishop  Odo  had  fortified  himself  in  Rochester: 
the  king  attacked  him  there  with  his  Saxon  army,  and 
would  have  compelled  him  to  surrender  at  discretion,  if 
the  Normans  who  had  remained  faithful  to  William  had 
not  interceded  on  his  behalf  We  assisted  thee  in  the 
time  of  danger,"  said  they ;  we  beg  thee  now  to  spare 
our  fellow-countrymen  ;  our  relations,  who  are  also  thine, 
and  who  aided  thy  father  to  possess  himself  of  England." 
The  king  consented  to  allow  the  garrison  to  march  out 
with  arms  and  baggage  ;  but  the  arrogant  prelate  demanded 
that  the  trumpets  should  not  celebrate  his  defeat.  I 
would  not  consent  for  a  thousand  marks  of  gold,"  exclaimed 
William  angrily,  and  above  the  sound  of  the  trumpets 


Chap.  VI.]  THE  NORMAN  KINGS.  119 

arose  the  cries  of  the  Saxons.  Bring  us  a  halter  that  we 
may  hang  this  traitor  bishop  and  his  accomphces.  O  king, 
why  do  you  allow  him  to  retire  thus  safe  and  sound  ?" 

Odo  returned  to  Normandy,  Duke  Robert  negotiated 
with  his  brother,  and  the  Saxons  had  already  lost  the 
advantages  which  William  had  accorded  or  promised  to 
them  in  order  to  secure  their  co-operation.  Lanfranc  was 
dead  :  and  the  oppression  had  become  more  burdensome, 
the  exactions  more  odious  since  his  influence  had  disap- 
peared. The  king  delayed  long  to  appoint  his  successor, 
taking  himself  possession  of  the  rich  domains  and  revenues 
of  the  diocese  of  Canterbury  in  contempt  of  ecclesiastical 
pretensions.  He  had  for  minister  and  confidant  a  Nor- 
man priest,  Ralph  Flambard,  whom  he  had  made  Bishop 
of  Lincoln,  and  whose  tyranny  was  so  great  that  the  inhabi- 
tants of  his  diocese,  says  the  chronicle,  *^  desired  his  death 
rather  than  live  under  his  power."  The  hereditary  passion 
of  King  William  for  the  chase,  and  the  rigor  of  the  forest 
laws,  were  among  the  most  frequent  causes  of  persecution. 

The  guardian  of  the  forests  and  the  pastor  of  the  wild 
beasts,''  as  the  Saxons  called  him,  took  advantage  of  the 
least  offence  against  his  tyrannical  ordinances  to  crush  the 
thanes,  who  had  preserved  some  remains  of  power." 
Fifty  Saxons  of  considerable  influence  were  accused  of 
having  taken,  killed,  and  eaten  deer.  They  denied  the 
charge,  and  the  Norman  judges  compelled  them  to  undergo 
the  ordeal  of  red  hot  iron  ;  but  their  hands  were  untouched. 
When  the  fact  was  announced  to  the  king  he  burst  into 
laughter.  "What  matters  that?"  said  he;  ''God  is  no 
good  judge  of  such  matters;  it  is  I  who  am  most  concerned 
in  such  affairs,  and  I  will  judge  these  fellows."  The 
chronicle  does  not  say  what  became  of  the  poor  Saxons. 

Several  times  war  had  broken  out  between  William  and 
his  brother  Robert.    Rufus  had  conceived  the  hope  of 


120 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  VI, 


expelling  Curthose  from  Normandy.  He  had  numerous 
partisans  on  the  Continent,  and  but  for  the  support  of  the 
king  of  France,  and  the  alh'ance  with  his  brother  Henry, 
Curthose  must  soon  have  succumbed.  But  in  1096,  after 
a  great  insurrection  in  England,  and  at  the  moment  when 
King  William,  triumphant  over  internal  commotions,  was 
probably  about  to  renew  his  attacks  upon  Normandy, 
Duke  Robert,  seized  with  a  passion  for  the  Crusades, 
which  were  beginning  then  to  agitate  Christendom,  sud- 
denly proposed  to  his  brother  to  mortgage  his  duchy  for 
some  years  for  a  large  sum  of  money  which  would  enable 
him  to  equip  troops  and  to  set  out  w^ith  eclat  for  the  East. 
The  coffers  of  the  king  were  no  better  filled  than  were 
those  of  the  duke,  but  he  was  more  skilful  in  replenishing 
them  at  the  expense  of  his  subjects.  The  monasteries  and 
the  churches  were  taxed  like  the  Saxons.  "  Have  you  not 
coffers  of  gold  and  silver  filled  with  the  bones  of  the  dead  ?" 
exclaimed  Rufus,  and  he  laid  his  hand  upon  the  shrines 
containing  the  reliques.  Robert  received  the  sums  agreed 
upon  and  set  out  joyfully  for  Palestine,  while  William 
crossed  into  Normandy,  and  without  meeting  resistance 
took  possession  of  the  duchy,  where  he  already  possessed 
numerous  fortresses.  Maine  alone  exhibited  repugnance, 
and  a  revolt  broke  out  there  in  1 100  while  the  Red  King 
was  enjoying  the  chase  in  England,  in  the  hunting-grounds 
created  by  his  father,  which  bear  to  this  day  the  name  of 
the  New  Forest.  He  set  out  instantly  for  the  Continent. 
His  nobles  begged  him  to  take  time  to  assemble  his  forces. 

No,  no,"  replied  Rufus,  I  know  the  country  and  shall 
soon  have  men  enough,"  and  he  jumped  aboard  the  first 
vessel  which  he  met  with,  in  spite  of  the  violence  of  the 
wind.  Did  you  ever  hear  of  a  king  being  drowned  ?" 
he  said  to  the  sailors  who  were  hesitating  to  set  sail ;  and 
he  arrived  safe  and  sound  at  Barfleur.    The  rumor  of  his 


Chap.  VI.] 


THE  NORMAN  KINGS. 


12  1 


coming  terrified  the  lord  of  La  Fleche,  who  was  the  leader 
of  the  insurrection  ;  he  abandoned  the  siege  of  Le  Mans 
and  took  to  flight.  The  domains  of  the  enemy  were  soon 
ravaged,  and  Rufus  returned  to  England. 

Sinister  rumors  were  circulating  among  the  Saxons  with 
regard  to  the  royal  forests.  One  of  the  sons  of  William 
the  Conqueror  had  wounded  himself  mortally  in  chasing 
the  deer  in  the  New  Forest.  In  the  month  of  May,  i  lOO, 
the  son  of  Duke  Robert,  on  a  visit  to  his  uncle,  was  killed 
there  by  an  arrow.  People  said  that  Satan  appeared  to 
the  Normans  and  announced  the  sinister  end  which  awaited 
them;  but  the  Red  King  continued  to  devote  himself  to^ 
the  chase. 

It  was  the  ist  of  August.  He  had  passed  the  night  at 
Malwood  Keep,  a  castle  used  as  a  hunting-seat  in  the  very 
heart  of  the  forest.  His  brother  Henry,  with  whom  he 
had  become  reconciled,  was  with  him.  A  numerous  suite 
accompanied  him,  among  whom  was  one  of  the  private 
friends  of  William,  a  great  hunter  like  himself,  one  Walter 
Tyrrel,  a  French  nobleman,  who  possessed  large  estates  in 
Poix  and  Ponthieu.  During  the  night  the  king  had  been 
agitated  by  terrible  dreams :  he  had  been  heard  to  invoke 
*'the  name  of  Our  Lady,  which  was  not  his  custom;"  but 
he  seemed  to  have  forgotten  all  this  and  was  preparing 
cheerfully  for  the  fatigues  and  pleasures  of  the  day. 
While  he  was  putting  on  his  buskins  a  workman  approached 
and  presented  him  with  six  new  arrows.  He  examined 
them,  and  taking  four  for  himself,  gave  the  two  others  to 
Walter  Tyrrel,  with  the  remark,  The  good  marksman 
should  have  the  good  weapons."  As  he  was  breakfasting 
with  a  good  appetite,  one  of  the  monks  of  the  abbey  of 
St.  Peter  at  Gloucester  brought  him  letters  from  his  abbot. 
During  the  night  one  of  the  brethren  had  been  tormented 
with  dismal  visions.     He  had  seen  Jesus  Christ  seated 


122 


HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  VI. 


upon  His  throne,  and  at  His  feet  a  woman  supplicating 
him  on  behalf  of  the  human  beings  who  were  groaning 
under  the  yoke  of  William.  The  king  laughed  at  the 
omen.       Do  they  take  me  for  an  Englishman,"  said  he, 

with  their  dreams  ?  Do  they  think  I  am  one  of  those 
idiots  who  abandon  their  course  or  their  affairs  because  an 
old  woman  chances  to  dream  or  sneeze  ?  Come,  Walter 
de  Poix  !    To  horse 

The  hunting  party  had  dispersed  over  the  forest : 
Walter  Tyrrel  alone  remained  with  the  king.  Their  dogs 
hunted  in  company.  Both  were  in  search  of  prey  when  a 
great  stag,  disturbed  by  the  commotion,  unexpectedly 
passed  between  the  king  and  his  companion.  William 
immediately  drew  his  bow :  the  string  of  his  weapon 
broke,  and  the  arrow  did  not  shoot.  The  stag  had 
stopped,  surprised  by  the  noise,  but  not  perceiving  the 
hunters.  The  king  had  made  a  sign  to  Tyrrel,  but  he  did 
not  draw  his  bow.  The  king  became  angry.  "  Shoot, 
Walter  !"  he  exclaimed  ;  Shoot,  in  the  devil's  name 
An  arrow  flew,  no  doubt  that  of  Tyrrel ;  but  instead  of 
striking  the  stag  it  buried  itself  in  tlie  breast  of  the  king. 
He  fell  without  uttering  a  word.  Walter  ran  to  him  and 
found  him  dead.  Fear  or  remorse  seized  upon  Tyrrel ; 
he  mounted  his  horse  again  and  galloping  to  the  sea  coast, 
got  aboard  a  vessel,  passed  into  Normandy,  and  did  not 
rest  until  he  had  taken  refuge  upon  the  territory  of  the 
king  of  France. 

The  news  of  this  accident  had  become  known  in  the 
forest ;  but  no  one  gave  a  thought  to  the  dead  body  of 
the  king.  Henry  had  hastened  to  Winchester,  and  had 
already  put  his  hand  upon  the  keys  of  the  Royal  Treasury 
when  William  of  Breteuil  joined  him  out  of  breath.  We 
have  all,"  he  said,  "  thou  as  well  as  I  and  the  barons, 
sworn  fidelity  and  homage  to  Duke  Robert  thy  brother  if 


Chap.  VI.] 


THE  NORMAN  KINGS, 


123 


the  king  should  die  first.  Absent  or  present,  riglit  is 
riglit."  A  quarrel  ensued,  and  it  was  with  sword  in  hand 
that  Henry  possessed  himself  of  the  treasure  and  the  royal 
jewels.  Meanwhile  a  charcoal-burner,  who  had  found  the 
corpse  of  the  monarch  in  the  forest,  was  bringing  it  to 
Winchester  wrapped  in  old  linen,  and  leaving  on  the  road 
behind  the  cart  a  long  trail  of  blood. 

The  partisans  of  Robert  in  England  were  not  numerous  : 
they  had  no  leader.  The  duke  was  returning  from  Pales- 
tine, but  he  had  stopped  on  the  way  with  the  hospitable 
Normans,  sons  of  Robert  Guiscard,  established  in  Calabria 
and  in  Sicily.  He  had  even  married  there.  Henry 
meantime  had  taken  his  measures  and  had  caused  himself 
to  be  proclaimed  there  by  the  barons  assembled  in  London. 
The  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  Anselm,  had  been  expelled 
from  England  three  years  previously  ;  the  archbishopric 
of  York  was  vacant.  It  was  the  custom  of  Rufus  to  delay 
as  long  as  possible  appointing  to  the  sees,  in  order  that 
he  might  himself  enjoy  their  revenues.  The  Bishop  of 
London  crowned  the  new  monarch.  Henry  Beau-Clerc, 
as  he  was  called,  because  he  was  fond  of  books  and 
of  churchmen,  became  king  under  the  title  of  Henry  the 
First. 

Henry  was  more  popular  among  the  Saxons  than  his 
two  brothers  had  been.  Born  and  bred  in  England,  he 
was  regarded  as  an  Englishman,  and  his  first  care  was  to 
address  himself  to  the  English,  who  were  more  powerful 
than  is  generally  believed,  and  who  after  all  still  formed 
the  mass  of  the  people  of  the  country.  Friends  and 
vassals,''  said  he,  ''natives  of  the  country  in  which  I  was 
born,  you  know  that  my  brother  has  designs  upon  my 
kingdom.  He  is  a  proud  man,  who  cannot  live  in  peace  : 
his  only  wish  is  to  trample  you  under  his  feet.  On  the 
other  hand  I,  as  a  mild  and  pacific  sovereign,  intend  to 


124 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  VI. 


maintain  your  ancient  liberties  and  to  govern  you  accord- 
ing to  your  own  wishes  with  wisdom  and  moderation.  I 
will  give  you,  if  you  wish  it,  a  record  in  my  own  hand. 
Stand  firm  for  me  ;  for  while  I  am  seconded  by  the  valor 
of  the  English  I  have  no  fear  of  the  foolish  menaces  of  the 
Normans/' 

While  the  king  was  thus  giving  to  the  English  a  first 
charter,  which  proved  of  short  duration,  he  determined  to 
seal  his  promises  by  espousing  a  Saxon  woman.  He  had 
cast  his  eyes  on  Matilda,  daughter  of  Malcolm,  king  of 
Scotland,  and  of  Margaret  Atheling.  Matilda  had  been 
reared  in  a  convent  in  England  by  her  aunt  Christina 
Atheling,  the  abbess.  The  young  girl  hesitated  :  she  had 
already  been  sought  in  marriage  by  several  noblemen,  and 
it  was  repugnant  to  her  to  unite  herself  with  the  enemy  of 
her  race  and  country.  The  Normans  were  irritated  to  see 
their  king  seeking  support  among  their  enemies,  and  they 
spread  the  report  that  Matilda  had  taken  the  vows  as  a 
nun  in  her  infancy.  It  was  necessary  to  convoke  the 
Bishops  to  decide  the  question.  Anselm,  archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  (afterwards  St.  Anselm)  had  returned  to 
England.  He  had  always  been  just  towards  the  Saxons. 
When  his  patron  and  friend  Lanfranc  was  ridiculing  in  his 
presence  the  Saxon  devotion  to  St.  Alphege,  the  arch- 
bishop who  was  massacred  by  the  Danes,  Anselm  liad 
said,  Eor  myself  I  regard  that  man  as  a  martyr,  and  a 
true  martyr.  He  preferred  to  face  death  rather  than  to 
do  a  wrong  to  his  countrymen.  He  died  for  justice,  as 
John  died  for  the  truth,  and  each  alike  for  Christ,  who  is 
truth  and  justice.''  At  the  head  of  his  bishops  and  on  tlie 
personal  testimony  of  Matilda,  Anselm  declared  that  she 
had  never  been  consecrated  to  God,  and  the  marriage 
took  place.  The  queen  was  beautiful,  charitable,  and 
vir^-iious;    but   she    exercised    little    influence  over  her 


Chap.  VI.]  THE  NORMAN  KINGS. 


125 


husband,  and  was  not  able  to  prevent  his  often  oppresshig 
the  people. 

Henry  had  banished  the  favorites  of  his  brother,  who 
were  odious  to  the  Saxons,  and  Ralph  Flambard,  who  had 
been  a  prisoner  in  the  Tower,  had  scarcely  escaped  from 
tliat  fortress,  when  he  heard  that  Duke  Robert  had  arrived 
in  Normandy  with  his  young  wife  Sibylla,  daughter  of  the 
Count  of  Conversano.  King  Henry  was  greatly  disquieted 
by  the  news.  H^e  had  been  careful  to  spread  abroad  the 
report  that  his  brother  had  accepted  the  crown  of  Jerusa- 
lem, a  worthy  prize  of  his  exploits  in  the  Holy  Land. 
The  discontent  of  a  certain  number  of  Norman  barons, 
and  their  disposition  to  offer  their  aid  to  Robert,  com- 
pelled him  more  and  more  to  depend  upon  the  English  as 
well  as  on  the  Church.  He  paid  court  to  Anselm,  and 
when  Robert,  encouraged  by  Ralph  Flambard,  published 
his  declaration  of  war,  the  bishops  and  the  common  people 
of  England  were  all  on  the  side  of  King  Henry.  The 
Norman  barons  were  divided,  and  the  Saxon  sailors,  car- 
ried away  no  doubt  by  the  fame  which  Robert  had  acquired 
in  the  Crusades,  deserted  with  the  fleet.  It  was  in  vessels 
constructed  by  his  brother  that  Robert  crossed  with  his 
army  to  English  soil. 

Duke  Robert  was  undecided  and  wanting  in  settled 
character,  but  he  was  brave,  and  his  affection  for  his 
family  had  resisted  the  disunion  which  had  so  long  pre- 
vailed among  these  three  brothers.  Long  before,  when  in 
company  with  William  Rufus  he  was  besieging  their 
younger  brother,  now  King  Henry,  but  then  only  an 
adventurer  without  lands,  who  had  seized  upon  Mont  St. 
Michael,  the  supply  of  water  had  failed  in  the  fortress, 
and  the  besieged  prince  sent  to  ask  permission  to  obtain 
some.  Robert  consented,  to  the  great  vexation  of  Wil- 
Ham ;  he  even  sent  to  Henry  wine  for  his  table.  There 


126 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND^       [Chap.  VI. 


is  nothing  now  left  to  do  but  to  send  him  provisions/' 
said  WilHam  moodily.  ''What!"  exclaimed  the  duke, 
*'  ought  I  to  let  our  brother  die  of  thirst  ?  and  what  other 
brother  should  we  have  if  we  lost  him 

Scarcely  had  Robert  set  foot  in  England  when  those 
among  the  Normans  who  were  averse  to  war  interposed 
between  the  two  brothers.  Once  more  Robert  renounced 
liis  pretensions  to  the  kingdom  conquered  by  his  father. 
Henry  ceded  to  him  the  fortresses  which  he  still  held  in 
Normandy,  and  promised  to  pay  him  a  pension  of  3000 
marks  of  silver.  A  general  amnesty  was  agreed  upon  on 
both  sides. 

Treaties,  however,  were  scarcely  more  effectual  than 
cliarters  in  binding  King  Henry.  By  degrees  the  barons 
wlio  had  taken  the  side  of  Robert  v/ere  expelled  from  their 
domains  and  banished  from  England.  The  chief  of  all, 
Robert  of  Eelesme,  earl  of  Shrewsbury,  had  given  ground 
of  dissatisfaction  by  raising  his  standard  when  he  had 
been  called  on  to  appear  before  the  royal  tribunal. 
Besieged  in  Bridgnorth,  he  had  friends  in  the  royal  camp 
who  sought  to  reconcile  him  with  the  king.  ''  Do  not 
listen  to  them.  King  Henry,"  cried  the  English  infantry, 
''  they  are  desirous  of  drawing  you  into  a  snare.  We  are 
here  and  will  aid  thee,  and  will  assault  the  town  for  thee. 
Make  no  peace  with  the  traitor  till  you  secure  hhn  alive 
or  dead."  Henry  pushed  on  with  the  siege  ;  Bridgnorth 
was  taken,  and  Robert  of  Belesme,  an  exile,  passed  over 
into  Normandy,  where  he  possessed  thirty  castles  and  vast 
domains,  which  Duke  Robert,  faithful  to  the  treaty,  Iiad 
begun  to  ravage  as  soon  as  he  saw  the  Earl  of  Shrewsbury 
in  revolt  against  his  sovereign.  In  his  chagrin  at  seeing 
the  amnesty  promised  in  his  name  to  the  barons  violated, 
Robert  went  himself  to  England,  placing  himself  defence- 
less in  the  hands  of  his  brother  in  order  to  intercede  for 


Chap.  VI.] 


THE  KORMAN  KINGS. 


127 


his  friends.  He  even  made  a  present  to  Queen  Matilda  of 
1000  marks  of  silver  a  year,  part  of  tlie  3000  marks  which 
her  husband  had  engaged  to  pay  him.  He  obtained  only 
vague  promises,  and  from  the  year  11 04  the  resolution  of 
King  Henry  to  possess  himself  of  Normandy  began  again 
to  show  itself  clearly. 

Robert  had  lost  his  wife,  and  disorder  reigned  in  his 
court.  He  was  still  in  want  of  money;  affairs  were 
unsettled,  and  Normandy  was  suffering  all  the  evils  of  a 
weak  and  capricious  government.  Henry  openly  declared 
himself  the  protector  of  the  duchy  against  the  maladminis- 
tration of  his  brother.  I  will  give  thee  money,"  he 
wrote  to  him,  "  but  yield  to  me  the  land.  Thou  hast  the 
title  of  chief,  but  in  reality  thou  rulest  no  longer,  for  those 
who  owe  thee  obedience  ridicule  thee."  Robert  refused 
this  proposal  with  indignation,  and  Henry  began  his 
preparations  for  invading  Normandy  with  an  armed  force. 

The  wars  were  always  a  cruel  burden  for  the  people  ; 
the  levies  of  money  necessary  for  the  equipment  of  soldiers 
were  ruinous  to  the  poor  citizens  and  the  unfortunate 
peasants.  Before  the  departure  of  Henry  for  Normandy 
crowds  of  country  people  presented  themselves  on  the 
road  by  which  the  king  passed,  casting  at  his  feet  their 
ploughshares  in  token  of  distress.  Nevertheless  the  king 
set  out  and  met  his  brother  at  Tinchebrai,  not  far  from 
Mortagne.  The  struggle  was  fierce.  The  military  talents 
of  Robert  were  much  superior  to  those  of  his  brother,  but 
his  army  was  less  considerable,  and  there  were  traitors  in 
the  camp.  In  the  very  heat  of  the  contest  Robert  of 
Belesme  took  to  flight  with  his  division.  The  duke  was 
made  prisoner,  and  his  forces  were  completely  defeated. 
Henry  at  the  same  time  seized  Edgar  Atheling,  once  the 
legitimate  pretender  to  the  crown,  the  uncle  of  Queen 
Matilda.    In  consideration  of  these  facts  he  was  allowed 


128 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  VI. 


his  liberty  in  England,  and  received  from  the  king  a  small 
pension,  which  enabled  him  to  end  his  days  in  such  com- 
plete obscurity  that  we  are  even  ignorant  of  the  date  of 
his  death. 

Duke  Robert  was  not  fated  to  enjoy  a  captivity  so 
mild.  He  had  suffered  defeat  on  the  14th  of  October, 
1 1 06,  the  anniversary  of  the  day  when  forty  years  previ- 
ously his  father  had  won  the  battle  of  Hastings.  God 
thus  disposing,"  says  the  Chronicle,  that  Normandy  be- 
came subject  to  England  on  the  same  day  that  England 
had  become  subject  to  Normandy.''  Ralph  Flambard 
had  regained  his  bisliopric  of  Durham  by  giving  up  to  the 
king  the  town  and  fortress  of  Lisieux ;  but  Robert  had 
been  conveyed  to  England,  and  lodged  in  the  castle  of 
Cardiff,  in  Wales,  which  had  recently  been  conquered  by 
the  Normans.  He  enjoyed  there  a  certain  amount  of 
liberty,  and  hunted  in  the  surrounding  forest.  One  day 
he  leaped  upon  his  horse  and  took  to  flight.  He  was  not 
well  acquainted  v/ith  the  way  ;  his  horse  sank  into  a  bog. 
He  was  captured  and  taken  back  to  his  prison.  When 
the  king  was  acquainted  with  this  attempt  at  escape,  he 
ordered  that  the  prisoner's  eyes  should  be  burnt  out  by 
means  of  a  bason  of  red-hot  iron.  The  captivity  of  the 
unhappy  duke  became  complete  ;  but  his  robust  constitu- 
tion withstood  all  these  misfortunes.  He  lived  twenty- 
eight  years  in  his  prison,  blind  and  alone,  without  news 
of  the  son  whom  he  had  left  a  child  in  Normandy,  and 
preserving  to  the  last  the  dignified  pride  of  his  race.  One 
day  some  new  clothes  were  brought  to  him  from  the  king ; 
Robert  handled  them  and  discovered  that  one  of  them  was 
unript  at  the  seam.  He  was  told  that  Henry  had  tried 
on  the  doublet  and  had  found  it  too  small  for  him.  The 
duke  threw  all   the  clothes   to  a  distance,  exclaiming, 

So  then  my  brother,  or  rather  my  traitor,  that  cowardly 


Chap.  VL]  THE  NORMAN  KINGS. 


129 


clerk  who  has  dismembered  and  deprived  me  of  sight, 
holds  me  now  in  such  contempt — I  who  was  once  held  in 
such  honor  and  renown — that  he  makes  me  alms  of  his 
old  clothes  as  to  a  valet 

Robert  was  nearly  eighty  years  of  age  when  he  died 
in  1 135,  some  months  before  his  brother,  King  Henry. 
He  had  survived  in  his  captivity  and  suffering  almost  all 
the  chief  warriors  with  whom  he  had  fought  before 
Jerusalem. 

Robert  had,  however,  a  son,  William  Cliton,  or  as  they 
soon. afterwards  called  him,  William  of  Normandy;  but  the 
boy  was  only  seven  years  old  when  his  uncle,  finding  him 
self  in  possession  of  the  whole  of  Normandy,  began  to  besiege 
Valaise,  where  he  was  under  guard.  No  one  thought  of  de- 
claring himself  in  favor  of  the  little  prince.  He  was  taken 
and  conducted  to  the  king.  The  child  cried  and  asked  for 
mercy ;  he  had  reason  to  tremble,  for  his  life  was  a  great 
obstacle  to  the  repose  of  his  uncle.  But  making  a  violent 
effort  to  banish  evil  thoughts,  the  king  desired  to  remove 
the  little  William  from  his  presence,  and  he  confided  him 
to  a  faithful  servant  of  his  household,  Helie  of  St.  Saen. 
Sometime  afterwards  the  king  had  changed  his  mind  and 
desired  to  take  back  the  little  prince,  but  Helie  carried  him 
off  secretly,  and  both  took  refuge  at  the  court  of  the  king 
of  France,  Louis  the  Fat.  He  was  there  growing  up 
when  King  Henry  was  marrying  his  daughter  Matilda, 
aged  eight  years,  to  Henry  HI.,  Emperor  of  Germany. 
The  marriage  of  an  eldest  daughter  was  one  of  those 
occasions  which  gave  the  right  to  the  feudal  lord  to  levy 
taxes  from  their  vassals,  and  King  Henry  used  this  right 
in  such  a  way  that  the  v/holc  English  people  groaned 
under  the  burden.  The  splendor  of  the  retinue  which 
accompanied  the  little  princess  on  her  departure  from 
England  was  soon  forgotten ;  but  when  she  returned  to 


I30  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  VI. 

her  native  land  people  still  remembered  the  tears  which 
her  marriage  had  cost. 

King  Louis  VI.  had  promised  William  Cliton  the 
investiture  of  Normandy,  when  in  1113  war  again  broke 
out  between  France  and  England.  It  lasted  for  two  years, 
and  all  the  castles  on  the  frontiers  were  captured  from 
Henry.  His  able  diplomacy  procured  him  in  1 1 1 5  an 
advantageous  treaty,  which  assured  to  prince  William  of 
England  the  hand  of  Matilda  of  Anjou,  daughter  of  the 
Count  Fulke.  No  one  thought  of  reserving  the  rights  of 
William  Cliton  over  Normandy,  and  when  the  great 
Norman  barons  were  convoked  in  1 1 1 7  to  take  the  oath 
of  allegiance  to  Prince  William,  no  claim  was  advanced  in 
favor  of  the  exile.  His  uncle  had  made  an  attempt  to 
entice  him  into  England,  promising  him  the  gift  of  three 
large  counties  ;  but  the  young  man  was  not  willing  to 
trust  himself  to  his  father's  jailor,  and  we  meet  with  him 
again  in  1 119  at  the  head  of  a  confederation  formed  on 
the  Continent  against  King  Henry.  At  the  battle  of 
Brenville,  which  preceded  by  some  years  the  close  of  a 
war  of  mingled  success  and  disaster,  William  Cliton,  or 
FitzRobcrt  as  he  was  often  called,  penetrated  into  the 
presence  of  his  uncle  ;  but  his  knights  were  repulsed,  and 
the  marriage  of  Prince  William  with  Matilda  of  Anjou, 
celebrated  sumptuously  in  1 1 20,  destroyed  the  hopes 
which  his  cousin  had  conceived.  King  Louis  accepted 
the  homage  of  Normandy  represented  by  the  son  of  the 
king  of  England,  thus  sparing  the  regal  pride  of  Henry. 
The  policy  of  this  prince  prevailed :  he  resolved  to  return 
in  triumph  to  England,  and  on  the  25  th  of  November, 
1 1 20,  he  prepared  to  set  sail  from  the  little  port  of  Car- 
flcur,  when  a  mariner  well  known  upon  that  coast 
advanced  towards  him,  presenting  a  mark  of  gold. 
Stephen,  son  of  Erard,  my  father  served  yours  on  the 


Chap.  VL] 


THE  NORMAN  KINGS, 


sea,"  said  he,  and  it  was  he  who  steered  the  vessel 
aboard  which  your  father  sailed  for  the  conquest.  Sire 
king,  I  entreat  you  to  grant  me  in  fief  the  same  office.  I 
have  a  vessel  called  the  Blavxhcncf^  well  fitted  out." 

The  king's  ship  was  already  prepared ;  he  promised 
Stephen  to  give  him  as  passengers  the  Prince  William  and 
his  sister,  Lady  Mary,  countess  of  Perche.  The  Blanchcjief 
was  a  large  vessel.  Three  hundred  persons  went  aboard 
her  as  he  set  sail.  The  king  had  preceded  them  on  the 
sea,  but  Thomas  FitzStephen  was  proud  of  the  fast  sailing 
of  his  vessel,  and  made  no  haste  to  depart,  thinking  to 
overtake  the  squadron  without  difficulty.  There  was 
dancing  and  drinking  upon  the  poop  of  the  vessel :  all  the 
company  were  excited  when  at  length  they  set  out.  Night 
had  come  on  ;  the  moon  had  risen  ;  the  wind  was  fresh. 
They  advanced  rapidly,  for  the  sailors  lent  aid  with  the 
oars.  They  were  coasting,  when  suddenly  the  ship  struck 
upon  a  rock  at  the  level  of  the  water,  then  called  the  Raz 
de  Catte,  now  the  Ra:^  de  Cattevillc.  The  Blanclicncf  s 
planks  were  opened  by  the  shock,  and  she  began  to  fill 
with  water.  The  cry  of  terror  which  arose  from  those 
aboard  reached  the  vessel  of  the  king,  sailing  at  a  considera- 
ble distance ;  but  no  one  understood  the  cause  of  the  noise. 
Henry  disembarked  quietly.  His  children  had  launched  a 
boat  on  the  sea ;  and  Prince  William  had  entered  it  with 
some  of  his  companions,  but  tlie  cries  of  his  sister,  the 
Lady  Mary,  induced  him  to  return  to  the  foundering 
vessel ;  he  had  nearly  rescued  her  when  the  other  passen- 
gers, driven  wild  with  despair,  sprang  in  a  mass  into  the 
feeble  skiff,  which  immediately  disappeared  with  all  its  oc- 
cupants. The  vessel  sank  almost  at  the  same  instant.  Two 
men  only  clung  to  the  mast,  a  butcher  of  Rouen  and  a 
young  nobleman  named  Gilbert  de  Laigle.  For  a  moment 
the  head  of  Thomas  FitzStephen  appeared  above  the 


132 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  VI. 


waves.  What  has  become  of  the  king's  son  he  cried 
to  the  two  survivors.  He  has  disappeared  with  his 
sister,  and  every  one  with  him/'  they  replied.  Unhappy 
me  !"  exclaimed  the  pilot,  as  he  plunged  again  into  the 
waves.  Gilbert's  hands  were  frozen ;  he  relaxed  his  hold 
of  the  mast  which  supported  him  and  was  drowned  before 
the  eyes  of  his  companion,  who  was  well  wrapped  in  his 
sheepskin  and  hardened  against  the  effects  of  rough  weather. 
He  held  out  until  the  morning,  and  was  rescued  by  some 
fishermen  on  the  coast.  From  his  lips  they  learned  the 
news  of  the  disaster  which  had  befallen  the  Blanchcncf. 
In  England  they  did  not  dare  to  apprise  King  Henry,  who 
was  awaiting  the  arrival  of  his  children.  At  length  a  boy 
presented  himself  before  him  and  cast  himself  at  his  feet. 
Henry  assisted  him  to  rise,  and  the  child  related  the  story 
of  the  wreck  of  the  Norman  vessel.  *'And  from  that  time 
the  king  was  never  seen  to  smile,''  say  the  chroniclers, 
without,  however,  expending  any  more  tenderness  over 
the  fate  of  Prince  William,  whose  pride  and  harshness  had 
caused  apprehensions  in  England.  If  I  ever  come  to 
reign  over  these  miserable  Saxons,"  he  was  accustomed 
to  say,  '*I  will  compel  them  to  draw  the  plough  like  oxen." 

So  he  perished  on  a  quiet  night  and  in  calm  weather,'* 
repeated  the  Saxons ;  and  it  came  to  pass  that  his  head, 
instead  of  being  encircled  by  a  crown  of  gold,  vv^as  broken 
upon  the  rocks.  It  was  God  himself  who  decreed  that  the 
son  of  the  Norman  should  not  behold  England  again." 

King  Henry  had  no  male  heir,  although  he  had  married 
again  with  the  daughter  of  the  duke  of  Louvain.  Many 
of  the  barons  seemed  inclined  to  rally  round  William  Fitz- 
Robert,  who  had  lately  excited  another  revolt.  Henry 
resolved  to  settle  the  crown  upon  his  daughter,  the 
Empress  Maud,  who  had  lately  become  a  widow.  All  the 
ability  of  the  king  could  not  prevent  at  first  a  feeling  of 


Chap.  VI.] 


THE  NORMAN  KINGS. 


133 


repugnance  among  the  great  nobles :  but  the  royal  power 
had  become  very  great,  supported  as  it  was  by  the  antago- 
nism of  two  hostile  races  between  whom  the  king  alone 
held  the  balance.  The  Normans  yielded.  On  Christmas 
Day,  1 126,  the  Empress  Maud  was  declared  heiress  to 
the  kingdom,  and  six  months  later  she  married  Geoffrey 
Plantagenet,'  son  of  Fulke,  count  of  Anjou,  whose  father 
had  transferred  to  him  his  domains  on  setting  out  for  the 
Holy  Land.  Maud  had  for  some  time  resisted  the  plans 
of  her  father  for  her  marriage,  which  had  been  kept  so 
secret  that  the  barons  protested,  maintaining  that  the  king 
had  not  tlie  right  to  dispose  without  their  approval  of  their 
future  sovereign.  The  nuptial  festivities  lasted  three  weeks. 
Heralds,  armed  and  in  magnificent  costume,  traversed  the 
streets  and  squares  of  Rouen,  crying  aloud,  In  the  name 
of  King  Henry,  let  no  man  here  present,  inhabitant  or 
stranger,  dare  to  absent  himself  from  the  royal  rejoicings ; 
for  whosoever  shall  riot  take  part  in  the  amusements  and 
games  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  offence  towards  his  lord 
the  king.'' 

Henry  had  obtained  the  oaths  of  all  the  barons,  but  he 
had  too  much  sense  and  knowledge  of  human  nature  not 
to  be  aware  how  precarious  the  future  situation  of  his 
daughter  must  be  if  his  nephew,  William  FitzRobert, 
should  live  to  dispute  the  throne.  The  young  prince 
appeared,  indeed,  to  be  desdned  to  a  brilliant  future.  King- 
Louis  had  brought  about  a  marriage  between  him  and  the 
sister  of  his  wife,  a  princess  of  Savoy,  and  he  had  given  to 
her  for  a  portion  Pontoise,  Chaumont,  and  the  Vexin. 
Soon  afterwards  Charles  the  Good,  count  of  Flanders,  v/as 
assassinated  in  the  church  at  the  foot  of  the  altar.  Louis 


^  So  named  because  he  was  accust(^med  to  wear  in  his  hat  a  branch  of 
genet  or  broom  (Plant a  genista)  in  blossom. 


134 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,       [Crap.  VI. 


entered  Flanders  for  the  purpose  of  punishing  the  mur- 
derers, and  the  count  not  having  left  any  children,  Louis 
conferred  his  domains  upon  William  FitzRobert,  great 
grandson  of  the  old  Count  Baldwin.  The  young  count, 
who  remained  in  his  new  territory,  had  soon  a  cause  of 
quarrel  with  a  certain  number  of  his  subjects,  who  called 
the  king  of  England  to  their  aid.  The  latter  supported, 
as  a  rival  to  his  nephew,  the  landgrave  Thierry  of  Alsace, 
who  soon  made  himself  master  of  Lille,  of  Ghent,  and 
other  important  places.  The  son  of  Robert  Curthose, 
however,  had  inherited  the  military  talents  of  his  father  and 
grandfather :  he  completely  defeated  his  adversary  under 
the  walls  of  Alost;  but  he  had  received  a  w^ound  in  the 
hand  from  a  pike,  and  this  injury,  at  first  regarded  as  of 
little  importance,  turned  to  gangrene.  William  was  carried 
to  the  monastery  of  St.  Omer,  where  he  died  on  the  27th 
of  July,  1 128.  He  was  not  yet  twenty-six  years  of  age, 
and  he  left  no  issue.  His  last  care  had  been  to  recommend 
to  the  clemency  of  his  uncle  the  Norman  barons  who  had 
served  his  cause.  The  king  willingly  pardoned  them,  so 
rejoiced  was  he  to  be  delivered  from  the  anxieties  which 
his  nephew  caused  him.  Duke  Robert  was  still  living; 
but  these  successes  had  no  more  effect  than  the  death  of 
his  son  upon  the  dreary  captivity  of  the  unfortunate  blind 
prisoner. 

The  Empress  Maud  and  her  husband  often  gave  trouble 
to  King  Henry  by  their  quarrels.  The  birth  of  their 
eldest  son  in  1 133  for  a  moment  appeased  their  dissensions. 
The  child  was  christened  Henry,  after  his  grandfather, 
and  the  Normans  called  him  Henry  FitzEmpress,  to  dis- 
tinguish him  from  the  king,  whom  they  called  Henry 
FitzWilliam  Conqueror.  Two  other  sons  were  born  to 
Count  Geoffrey  Plantagenet,  and  the  quarrels  recom- 
menced.   The  count  claimed  Normandy,  which  the  king 


Chap.  VI.]  THE  NORMAN  KINGS, 


135 


had  promised  to  relinquish  in  his  favor ;  but  Henry  still 
refused.  He  was  no  more  disposed  than  his  father  had 
been  to  strip  himself  of  his  clothing  before  bedtime." 
His  strength,  however,  was  declining :  he  was  dejected. 
On  the  2Sth  of  November,  1135,  anxious  to  dispel  his  low 
spirits,  he  set  out  for  the  forest  of  Lion-la-Foret,  in  Nor- 
mandy. When  he  returned  he  was  hungry,  and  at  supper 
he  ate  greedily  of  a  dish  of  lampreys,  which  his  physician 
regarded  as  unwholesome.  His  digestion  was  disordered : 
he  fell  ill  and  died  on  the  ist  of  December,  at  the  age  of 
sixty-six,  leaving  all  his  domains  on  both  sides  of  the  sea 
to  his  daughter  Maud  and  her  descendants.  He  had 
reigned  thirty-five  years  ;  and,  with  the  exception  of  some 
unimportant  expeditions  against  the  French,  England  had 
enjoyed  peace  under  his  sway.  This  great  blessing  had 
been  sullied  by  many  crimes.  Neither  plighted  faith  nor 
natural  feeling  had  ever  impeded  Henry  I.  in  his  ambitious 
projects ;  but  he  had  placed  the  dominion  of  the  Norman 
race  in  England  on  such  solid  foundations  that  the  troubles 
which  followed  upon  his  death  could  not  shake  it ;  and  if 
success  were  the  test  of  moral  worth  Henry  FitzWilliam 
Conqueror  might  be  regarded  as  a  great  king. 

All  his  efforts  and  all  his  precautions,  however,  had  not 
enabled  him  to  secure  the  succession  to  his  daughter. 
Scarcely  had  he  breathed  his  last  when  his  nephew 
Stephen,  son  of  the  Count  of  Blois  and  of  Adela,  daughter 
of  William  the  Conqueror,  set  sail  immediately  for  England. 
The  king  had  always  treated  his  nephew  with  particular 
favor ;  he  had  given  him  vast  fiels  in  England.  The 
Count  Stephen  was  very  popular  among  the  Normans  and 
the  Saxons.  His  wife,  Maud,  niece  of  Matilda,  first  wife 
of  Henry  I.,  even  belonged  to  the  royal  Saxon  family. 
Stephen  boldly  laid  claim  to  the  throne,  which  could  not, 
he  said,  belong  to  a  woman.    He  was  descended  like  her 


136 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  VI. 


from  William  the  Conqueror,  and  in  the  same  degree. 
England  was  not  a  property  which  could  be  bequeathed 
at  pleasure  and  without  respect  for  the  wishes  of  the  people. 
Many  barons  were  of  Stephen's  opinion,  and  the  treasure 
of  King  Henry,  which  his  brother  the  Bishop  of  Winches- 
ter yielded  up  to  him,  secured  to  liim  other  adherents. 
The  chief  minister  of  the  deceased  king,  Roger,  Bishop  of 
Salisbury,  whom  Henry  had  originally  remarked  and 
attached  to  his  person  as  the  readiest  priest  at  saying  a 
mass  whom  he  had  ever  met  with,"  allowed  himself  to  be 
won  by  money.  William  Corbois,  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury, was  more  scrupulous,  but  was  persuaded  that  the 
king,  irritated  by  the  conduct  of  his  daughter,  had  adopted 
his  nephew  on  his  death-bed.  Stephen  was  elected  by 
the  barons  and  prelates,  who  considered  themselves  ab- 
solved from  their  oath  towards  the  empress  because  she 
had  married  without  their  consent ;  and  the  coronation 
took  place  at  Westminster,  on  the  26th  of  December,  St. 
Stephen's  Day.  The  pope  confirmed  the  election  with  the 
more  readiness  because  Stephen  had  accepted  the  oath 
of  the  clergy,  under  the  condition  imposed  by  the  bishops, 
of  respect  for  the  liberties  and  discipline  of  the  Church. 
The  barons  had  obtained  new  fiefs,  with  permission  to 
fortify  their  castles  and  to  construct  new  ones.  Those 
who  were  greedy  for  gain  received  money,  and  King 
Stephen  was  in  such  high  favor  on  both  sides  of  the  sea 
that  when  Geoffrey  Plantagenet  entered  Normandy  to 
claim  the  rights  of  his  wife,  the  natural  animosity  of  the 
Normans  against  the  Angevins  broke  forth  with  violence. 
The  count  was  compelled  to  retire,  and  to  conclude  with 
Stephen  a  truce  for  two  years,  in  consideration  of  a  pen- 
sion of  3000  marks  of  silver.  The  king  crossed  over  into 
Normandy,  and  received  there  the  homage  of  the  barons  ; 
and  Louis  VH.,  surnamed   the   Young,  then  king  of 


Chap.  VI.]  THE  NORMAN  KINGS, 


137 


France,  betrothed  his  young  sister,  Constance,  to  the  little 
Eustace,  son  of  Stephen,  granting  to  the  child  the  investi- 
ture of  Normandy. 

Among  the  barons  who  had  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance 
to  Stephen  was  Robert,  earl  of  Gloucester,  a  natural  son 
of  Henry  I.,  wlio  had  renounced  all  rights  to  the  throne  in 
favor  of  his  sister,  the  Empress  Maud.  Like  her,  he  had 
pretended  to  yield,  but  like  her  he  had  not  abandoned  the 
cause.  Maintained  in  the  possession  of  his  large  domains 
through  his  oath  of  fidelity,  he  crossed  from  Normandy 
into  England,  and  very  soon  the  tranquillity  which  had 
I'eigned  there  gave  place  to  a  secret  agitation.  Several 
))artial  risings  took  place  ;  but  these  were  only  the  pre- 
cursors of  the  great  insurrection  which  Gloucester  was 
preparing,  and  which  David,  king  of  Scotland,  was  about 
to  support  as  protector  of  the  rights  of  his  sister,  the  Em- 
press Maud. 

The  mine  was  dug.  The  Earl  of  Gloucester  retired 
into  Normandy,  whence  he  wrote  to  Stephen  solemnly 
renouncing  his  allegiance.  Other  great  barons  followed 
his  example,  and,  fortifying  themselves  in  their  castles, 
overwhelmed  the  king  with  reproaches,  accusing  him  of 
having  failed  to  keep  his  oath  towards  them.  Ah 
exclaimed  Stephen,  the  traitors  !  they  made  me  king, 
and  now  they  desert  me;  but,  by  the  Nativity  of  God! 
they  shall  never  make  me  a  deposed  king In  this 
perilous  situation  Stephen  displayed  great  energy,  laying 
siege  to  the  rebel  castles  one  after  the  other,  and  disposing 
largely  of  the  domains  of  the  crown  in  favor  of  the  barons 
who  were  faithful  or  who  became  penitent.  Meanwhile 
the  king  of  Scotland  had  entered  Northumberland  at  the 
head  of  a  numerous  army  from  the  Highlands  and  Low- 
lands, isles  and  mountains,  the  regular  troops  and  undis- 
ciplined savages,  knights  clad  in  ircn,  the  best  lances  in 


138 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  VL 


Europe,  and  mountaineers  half  naked,  constituting  this 
army  of Scotch  emmets,"  as  the  English  expressed  it, 
covered  all  the  country  extending  from  the  Tweed  to  the 
north  of  the  county  of  York,  ravaging  and  pillaging  on 
their  way.  The  king  was  at  a  distance,  detained  by  the 
insurrections  of  the  barons  in  the  South.  The  nortliern 
counties  defended  themselves.  The  Normans  called  to 
their  aid  the  inhabitants  of  the  country,  those  English 
who,  though  so  often  oppressed,  possessed  a  vitality  which 
resisted  every  form  of  tyranny.  They  united  with  their 
conquerors  to  defend  the  country  against  this  -attack.  The 
archbishop  of  York,  Toustain  or  Thurstan,  a  decrepid  old 
man,  sinking  under  age  and  infirmities,  but  full  of  energy 
and  foresight,  caused  a  search  to  be  made  in  the  churches 
for  the  standards  of  St.  John  of  Beverley,  St.  Cuthbcrt  of 
Durham,  and  St.  Wilfred  of  Ripon,  which  had  remained 
there  since  the  Conquest.  They  raised  aloft  these  conse- 
crated banners  upon  a  car  similar  to  the  caroccio  which 
bore  the  standards  of  the  Italian  Republics.  In  the  midst 
of  the  flags  arose  a  pedestal  bearing  the  tabernacle  and 
the  sacred  host.  The  English  surrounded  the  sacred  car, 
with  their  long-bows  in  their  hands.  They  halted  at  El- 
fcrtun  (now  North  Allerton),  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the 
Scotch.  There  was  a  dense  mist,  and  the  enemy  might 
have  taken  the  English  army  by  surprise,  but  for  Robert 
Bruce  and  Bernard  Baliol,  who  possessed  domains  in 
England  and  Scotland.  The  former  of  these  two  knights 
approached  King  David.  O  king!"  he  exclaimed,  *'do 
you  bear  in  mind  against  whom  you  are  going  to  fight  ? 
It  is  against  the  Normans  and  the  English,  who  have  so 
often  served  you  well  with  counsel  and  arms,  and  have 
succeeded  in  securing  to  you  the  obedience  of  your  people 
of  Celtic  race.  Remember  that  it  is  we  who  have  placed 
these  tribes  in  your  hands,  and  thence  arises  the  hatred 


Chap.  VI.]  THE  NORMAN  KINGS, 


139 


with  which  they  are  animated  towards  our  countrymen." 

These  are  the  words  of  a  traitor,"  exclaimed  Wilham, 
nephew  of  the  King  of  Scotland.  At  the  same  instant 
Malise,  earl  of  Strathern,  was  heard  to  exclaim,  What 
need  have  we  of  this  stranger?  I  have  no  breastplate, 
and  yet  I  will  advance  as  far  as  any  among  them."  The 
old  Norman  turned  his  horse's  head.  I  retract  my  oath 
of  fidelity  and  homage,  O  king!"  he  cried,  and,  spurring 
his  horse,  he  hastened  towards  the  English,  with  Bernard 
Baliol,  crying  out  that  the  Scotch  were  following  them. 

The  Bishop  of  Durham  was  standing  erect  upon  the 
sacred  car,  as  representative  of  the  old  Archbishop  of 
York.  He  pronounced  absolution  in  a  loud  voice,  and  the 
English  and  Normans,  who  had  been  kneeling,  arose, 
exclaiming  Amen  !"  The  Scotch  were  already  charging, 
amidst  cries  of  "  Alban,  Alban  !"  the  historical  name  of 
their  country.  Their  impetuous  attack  had  broken  the 
ranks  of  the  English ;  but  the  Norman  cavalry,  in  close 
order  around  the  car,  steadily  repulsed  the  charge.  The 
archers  formed  again,  and  began  to  harass  the  mountaineers 
with  their  shafts  ;  the  long  pikes  of  the  men  of  Galloway 
were  broken  upon  the  Norman  bucklers  ;  the  claymores 
of  the  Highlanders  could  not  pierce  their  breastplates. 
The  fight  lasted  two  hours,  and  the  confusion  was  terrible. 
Prince  Henry,  son  of  the  King  of  Scotland,  had  succeeded 
in  cleaving  a  way  up  to  the  standards,  but  he  was  repulsed. 
The  lances  and  the  swords  were  broken.  The  fury  of  the 
attack  abated ;  the  retreat  soon  became  a  rout,  protected 
only  by  King  David  and  his  corps  of  knights,  who  had 
rallied  around  him.  The  Scotch  took  refuge  in  Carlisle, 
where  the  English  did  not  attack  them.  The  treaty  of 
peace,  which  was  concluded  in  the  following  year,  even 
left  Cumberland,  Westmoreland,  and  Northumberland  in 
the  power  of  Scotland. 


I40  HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  VI. 


The  defeat  of  the  Scots  at  the  battle  of  the  Standard 
had  cooled  the  ardor  of  the  malcontents.  The  Empress 
Maud  and  the  Earl  of  Gloucester  had  not  yet  appeared  in 
England  ;  but  King  Stephen  committed  a  grave  error. 
He  alienated  from  himself  the  attachment  of  the  clergy 
who,  up  to  that  time,  had  been  favorable  to  him,  by  sud- 
denly casting  into  prison  the  Bishop  of  Salisbury,  one  of 
the  partisans  who  had  had  the  greatest  share  in  his  eleva- 
tion, and  whom  he  had  up  to  then  loaded  with  wealth 
and  honors.  "  By  the  Nativity  of  God  he  exclaimed  to 
one  of  liis  attendants,  I  would  give  him  one-half  of 
England  if  he  asked  it.  He  should  grow  weary  of  asking 
before  I  would  grow  weary  of  giving,  until  the  day  when 
he  should  be  dumb." 

That  day  had  apparentl}^  arrived,  for  Roger  of  Salisbury 
and  his  two  nephews,  Bishops  of  Lincoln  and  Ely,  were 
suddenly  arrested.  The  Bishop  of  Ely  succeeded  in 
escaping  and  taking  refuge  in  a  fortress.  He  defended 
himself  valiantly ;  but  they  threatened  to  starve  to  death 
his  uncle  and  his  brother  if  he  did  not  yield.  The  man- 
ners of  the  time  were  such  that  there  was  reason  to  fear 
the  execution  of  the  threat.  The  Bishop  of  Ely  surren- 
dered, and  the  king  took  possession  of  the  property  of  the 
three  prelates  ;  but  he  had  irritated  a  dangerous  enemy. 
His  own  brother,  the  Bishop  of  Winchester,  and  the 
Legatie  of  the  Pope  in  England,  summoned  him  to  appear 
before  a  Synod  of  bishops  to  answer  for  this  breach  of  the 
privileges  of  the  Church.  It  was  necessary  to  appeal  to 
the  Pope  against  the  prelates,  and  to  disperse  the  Synod 
by  force.  The  Bishop  of  Salisbury  died  shortly  aftcr- 
^vards — of  chagrin,"  say  the  Chronicles.  His  nephews 
embraced  the  cause  of  the  Empress,  and  a  great  part  of 
the  clergy  followed  their  example.  The  Synod  had  just 
been  dispersed  (September,  1139)  when  Maud  at  length 


Chap.  VL] 


THE  NORMAN  KINGS, 


141 


disembarked  in  England  with  one  hundred  knights  only. 
Some  Normans  went  to  meet  her,  but  finding  her  so  ill 
attended  they  kept  back.  King  Stephen  swept  down 
upon  Arundel  Castle,  where  resided  Queen  Adelais,  widow 
of'  Henry  I.  He  found  her  engaged  in  assisting  her 
daughter-in-law,  who  had  just  arrived.  A  chivalrous 
sentiment  restrained  Stephen  from  insulting  the  two 
princesses.  He  left  Adelais  in  peaceable  possession  of  the 
castle,  and  the  empress  was  able  to  proceed  and  meet  her 
brother  the  Earl  of  Gloucester,  who  was  endeavoring  to 
revive  the  discontent  in  the  counties  of  the  West.  Her 
partisans  soon  rallied  round  her,  and  raising  her  standard 
she  attacked  the  king.  Sometimes  she  was  defeated, 
sometimes  victorious;  and  for  eighteen  months  England 
was  afflicted  by  the  horrors  of  civil  war.  At  last  a 
decisive  combat  near  Lincoln  resulted  in  King  Stephen 
falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Earl  of  Gloucester.  He  was 
cast  into  confinement  in  Bristol  Castle.  The  barons  who 
had  followed  him  hastened  to  the  empress,  made  peace 
with  her,  and  acknowledged  her  right  to  the  crown,  the 
Legate  and  the  Bishop  of  Winchester  being  foremost 
On  the  7th  of  April  a  meeting  of  bishops,  again  presided 
over  by  the  Legate,  ratified  the  accession  of  Maud, 
absolving  all  the  barons  and  the  prelates  from  their  oath 
towards  Stephen  ;  but  the  empress  was  obliged  to  allow 
some  months  to  elapse  before  her  coronation  at  West- 
minster, so  attached  were  the  citizens  of  London  to  the 
cause  of  the  vanquished  king. 

Maud  was  haughty,  and  she  lacked  the  tact  and 
prudence  so  necessary  to  sovereigns  whose  throne  is  in- 
secure. She  harshly  refused  to  give  to  the  Bishop  of 
Winchester  the  patrimonial  lands  of  King  Stephen,  which 
he  claimed  on  behalf  of  his  nephew.  Prince  Eustace  ;  and 
thus  she  mortally  offended  that  proud  prelate.    On  arriving 


142 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  VI. 


in  London  she  demanded  immediately  an  enormous 
tollage.  The  king  has  left  us  nothing/'  said  the  citizens 
piteously.  I  understand/'  repHed  the  new  queen,  you 
have  given  everything  to  my  adversary,  and  you  desire 
me  to  spare  you."  London  ended  the  dispute  by  pro- 
mising to  pay,  presenting  at  the  same  time  an  luimble 
petition.  Restore  to  us  (they  implored)  the  good  laws 
of  King  Edward,  thy  great  uncle,  in  the  place  of  those  of 
thy  father.  King  Henry  L,  which  are  bad  and  too  harsh 
towards  us.''  The  queen  rudely  repulsed  the  petitioners, 
and  she  was  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  promised  gold 
when  the  bells  of  the  city  suddenly  sounded  the  alarum. 
From  each  house  issued  a  combatant  armed  with  an  axe, 
a  bar  of  iron,  or  a  bow,  like  bees  issuing  from  a  hive," 
says  the  chronicle  ;  all  took  the  direction  of  the  palace. 
At  the  same  time  a  troop  of  armed  men,  carrying  the 
banner  of  Queen  Matilda  wife  of  Stephen,  presented  them- 
selves on  the  bank  of  the  Thames  upon  the  Surrey  side. 
The  empress  was  at  table  ;  she  sprang  upon  her  horse  and 
fled  by  the  western  gate,  accompanied,  only  by  some  ser- 
vants, while  the  multitude  pillaged  the  hall  which  she  had 
just  quitted.  She  was  destined  never  to  return  to 
London. 

The  empress  took  refuge  at  Oxford.  She  had  con- 
ceived some  doubts  with  regard  to  the  fidelity  of  the 
Bishop  of  Winchester,  whom  she  sent  for.  Say  that  I 
am  preparing,"  replied  the  prelate.  The  queen  had  con- 
ceived the  design  of  surprising  him  in  his  episcopal  city  ; 
but  at  the  moment  when  she  entered  by  one  gate  she  saw 
him  go  forth  by  another,  on  his  way  to  place  himself  at 
the  head  of  the  partisans  of  his  brother.  The  queen 
gathered  her  adherents  about  her ;  but  the  bishop  had 
returned,  and  he  laid  siege  to  Winchester,  where  the  King 
of  Scotland  and  the  Earl  of  Gloucester  had  joined  Queen 


Chap.  VJ.]  THE  NORMAN  KINGS, 


Matilda.  All  military  operations  had  been  suspended  for 
the  festival  of  the  Holy  Cross  (14th  September,  1141^ 
when  at  daybreak  Maud  mounted  her  horse,  accompanied 
by  a  good  escort,  and  silently  departed  from  the  royal  castle. 
She  passed  without  serious  difficulties  through  the  camp 
of  the  besiegers,  who  were  occupied  in  the  ceremonies  of 
the  day.  When  the  pursuit  commenced  Maud  was 
,  already  drawing  near  to  the  castle  of  Devizes  ;  but  she 
did  not  feel  herself  to  be  safe  here,  thoroughly  as  that  place 
had  been  fortified  by  the  Bishop  of  Salisbury,  and  she 
continued  her  course.  The  Earl  of  Hereford  alone 
accompanied  her  as  far  as  Gloucester.  The  King  of 
Scotland  had  set  out  for  his  kingdom,  but  the  Earl  of 
Gloucester  was  taken  prisoner.  A  great  number  of  his 
adherents  were  disguised  as  peasants,  but  their  Norman 
accent  betrayed  them,  and  the  English  hinds  seizing  this 
occasion  to  wreak  vengeance  on  their  oppressors  arrested 
them,  and  whip  in  hand  conducted  them  into  the  enemy's 
camp. 

The  two  parties  were  without  leaders,  for  Matilda  could 
flo  nothing  without  her  brother.  It  was  resolved  to 
exchange  the  Earl  of  Gloucester  for  King  Stephen,  and  in 
a  grand  council  of  bishops  convened  on  the  7th  of  Decem- 
ber by  the  Legate,  the  latter  hurled  all  the  thunders  of  the 
Church  against  the  partisans  of  the  Countess  of  Anjou  (by 
which  name  he  described  Maud),  as  he  had  done  on  the 
7th  of  April  against  the  adherents  of  the  Count  of  Blois. 
The  v/ar  continued  in  England  and  in  Normandy :  the 
Count  of  Anjou  had  subjected  that  great  province,  but  he 
refused  to  cross  the  sea  to  join  his  wife,  and  contented 
himself  with  sending  his  eldest  son  Henry  into  England 
with  his  uncle,  the  Earl  of  Gloucester.  At  the  moment 
when  the  young  prince  landed  in  the  country  where  he 
was  destined  to  establish  his  race,  his  mother  was  besieged 


144 


HISrORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  VL 


in  Oxford  by  King  Stephen.  The  winter  was  one  of 
great  severity,  and  the  sufferings  of  the  nation  were 
unparalleled.  The  barons  fortified  themselves  each  in  his 
castle,  and  even  in  the  churches,"  say  the  chronicles, 
adding,  that  they  dug  trenches  in  the  churchyards, 
exposing  to  the  daylight  the  bones  of  the  dead.  From 
thence  armed  men  pillaged  the  towns  and  villages,  the 
passers-by,  and  the  lonely  cottages.  It  was  possible  to  walk 
all  day  without  meeting  a  man  upon  the  road,  or  seeing 
an  acre  of  land  in  cultivation — for  to  till  the  earth  was  like 
tilling  the  sands  of  the  sea-shore.  Never  had  the  pagan 
pirates  inflicted  worse  evils." 

The  siege  of  Oxford  lasted  three  months;  the  snow 
covered  the  ground.  Maud  found  herself  on  the  point  of 
perishing  by  famine.  She  attired  herself  in  white,  as  did 
three  knights  of  her  suite,  and  the  four  issued  by  a  little 
postern,  and  traversed  the  deserted  country  as  far  as  the 
town  of  Abingdon,  where  they  obtained  horses.  The  castle 
of  Oxford  surrendered  on  the  morrow  :  but  Stephen  was 
soon  afterwards  defeated  before  Wilton  by  the  Earl  of 
Gloucester. 

In  the  midst  of  these  alternate  successes  and  disasters, 
the  burden  of  which  weighed  equally  and  constantly  on  the 
people,  the  Earl  of  Gloucester  died  (1147).  His  nephew, 
whom  he  had  kept  in  Bristol  Castle,  in  order  to  protect 
him  against  his  enemies,  returned  into  Normandy,  and 
shortly  afterwards  the  empress  herself,  deprived  of  all  sup- 
port, relinquished  the  part  she  had  played  with  so  much 
fortitude  for  eight  years  in  order  to  return  to  France. 
King  Stephen  was  now  master  of  the  situation  ;  but  his 
throne,  shaken  under  him,  was  not  destined  to  become 
firm  again. 

Pope  Innocent  II.,  the  protector  of  the  Bishop  of  Win- 
chester, had  just  died:  Celestine  II.  and  Lucius  II.  had 


THE  FLIGHT  OF  THE  EMPRESS  MAUD  FROM  OXFORD. 


Chap.  VI.] 


THE  NORMAN  KINGS, 


145 


enjoyed  the  pontifical  throne  only  for  the  briefest  space. 
Anastasius  II.  withdrew  the  title  of  legate  from  the  king's 
brother,  and  granted  it  to  his  adversary  Theobald,  arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury.  Stephen  had  taken  a  part  in  the 
quarrel  of  his  brother  with  the  archbishop,  whom  he  had 
exiled  ;  and  a  part  of  the  kingdom  had  been  placed  under 
an  interdict.  The  Church  was  too  strong  for  a  sovereign 
so  feeble :  Stephen  was  compelled  to  cede  great  estates  to 
the  clergy,  and  to  be  reconciled  with  Theobald.  But  in 
vain  he  sought  to  obtain  the  recognition  of  his  eldest  son 
Eustace  as  his  successor  ;  the  archbishop  constantly  re- 
fused his  countenance ;  the  quarrels  broke  out  afresh,  and 
the  episcopal  domains  were  confiscated  in  several  places. 

So  long  as  King  Stephen  had  only  to  contend  against  a 
woman,  however  divided  England  was,  he  had  the  best 
chances  of  success  ;  but  his  new  rival,  Henry,  was  sixteen 
years  of  age :  he  had  just  been  knighted  in  Scotland 
(1149)  by  his  uncle,  King  David,  and  on  his  return  he 
received  from  his  uncle  the  investiture  of  Normandy.  In 
1 1 50  Geoffrey  of  Anjou  died,  and  his  domains  reverted  to 
his  eldest  son,  who  two  years  later  married  Queen  Elea- 
nora,  the  divorced  wife  of  King  Louis  the  Young.  She 
brought  him,  as  her  portion,  the  county  of  Poitou  and  the 
duchy  of  Aquitaine.  He  was  nineteen  years  of  age  ;  his 
personal  reputation,  like  his  power,  was  growing  daily. 
The  party  of  the  Plantagenets  in  England  began  to  raise 
their  heads,  and  when  the  prince  landed  in  1 153,  with  an 
army  small  in  number  but  strong  in  discipline,  many 
adherents  came  to  take  service  under  his  banner.  King- 
Stephen  had  also  gathered  together  his  forces,  and  the 
two  rivals  found  themselves  face  to  face  at  Wallingford, 
separated  only  by  the  Thames.  They  remained  there  two 
days  without  coming  to  blows.  At  length  the  Earl  of 
Arundel  had  the  courage  to  declare,  that  it  was  a  folly  to 


146 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.      [Chap.  VII. 


prolong  the  suffering  of  an  entire  nation  for  the  sake  of 
the  ambition  of  two  princes.  It  was  resolved  to  sign  a 
truce  with  a  view  to  negotiate  a  permanent  peace.  About 
that  time  Eustace,  the  eldest  son  of  Stephen,  died  in  con- 
sequence of  great  excesses.  The  king  had  now  only  one 
son,  who  was  still  young  and  not  ambitious.  The  two 
rival  ecclesiastics,  the  Bishop  of  Winchester  and  the  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury,  conducted  the  negotiations,  and  on 
the  7th  of  November,  1153,  in  a  solemn  council  held  at 
Winchester,  King  Stephen  adopted  Prince  Henry  as  a 
son,  giving  the  kingdom  of  England  as  an  inheritance  to 
him  and  his  descendants  for  ever.  Henry  took  the  oath 
of  fidelity  and  homage,  receiving  in  his  turn  the  allegiance 
of  Prince  William,  the  son  of  Stephen,  on  whom  he  con- 
ferred all  the  patrimonial  lands  of  his  father.  A  year  later, 
on  the  25th  of  October,  11 54,  King  Stephen  expired  at 
Dover  in  his  fiftieth  year.  For  a  while,  at  least,  civil  war 
was  not  to  desolate  England. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

HENRY    II.    (II 54-1 189). 

HEN  King  Henry  II.  ascended  th^  dirone  in 
1 1 54,  he  was  the  most  powerful  mo  narch  that 
had  ever  reigned  in  England,  and  one  of  the  most  power- 
ful in  Christendom.  To  his  hereditary  possessions,  Anjou, 
Normandy,  and  Maine,  and  his  beautiful  kingdom  of 
England,  he  had  added  by  his  marriage  with  Eleanor  of 
Aquitaine,  Poitou,  and  Aquitaine,  which  comprised  Sain- 
tonge,  Auvergne,  Perigord,  Limousin,  Angoumois,  and  Gui- 
cnne.  He  was  ambitious  and  greedy  of  power.  His  father, 
who  knew  him  well,  had  provided  by  his  will  that  Anjou 


Chap.  VIL] 


HENRY  11, 


147 


should  return  to  his  second  son  Geoffrey,  if  the  eldest  should 
become  King  of  England,  and  in  order  to  secure  this 
arrangement  he  had  forbidden  his  own  interment  before 
Henry  should  have  sworn  to  conform  to  it.  The  prince 
hesitated  long,  then  took  the  oath,  and  Count  Geoffrey 
Plantagenet  was  consigned  to  the  tomb.  But  Henry  had 
become  king  and  his  brother  had  claimed  the  execution 
of  his  promise.  The  monarch  contrived  to  be  relieved  of 
his  oath  by  Nicholas  Breakspeare,  who  had  been  raised  to 
the  pontifical  dignity  under  the  name  of  Adrian  IV.,  the 
only  Englishman  who  has  ever  become  Pope.  Henry 
Plantagenet  retained  Anjou,  the  cradle  of  that  family  which 
he  was  destined  to  render  so  powerful. 

When  the  new  king  landed  in  England,  six  weeks  after 
the  death  of  Stephen,  he  found  his  kingdom  a  prey  to 
horrible  anarchy.  In  the  intervals  of  their  power  Maud 
and  Stephen  had  both  endeavored  to  attach  to  themselves 
the  great  nobles  by  important  grants  of  lands  and  castles : 
hence  the  royal  domains  were  reduced  to  insignificance 
and  were  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  menacing  fortresses 
guarded  by  resolute  soldiers  who  recognized  no  authority 
but  that  of  their  chiefs.  Many  of  these  fortresses  were  in 
the  hands  of  Flemish  and  Brabantine  mercenaries  whom 
each  party  in  turn  had  summoned  to  their  assistance.  It 
was  by  dealing  with  these  men  that  Henry  began  the 
reform  which  he  reckoned  upon  introducing  into  the  con- 
dition of  territorial  property.  On  a  given  day,  to  the 
great  joy  of  the  Normans  and  Saxons,  he  ordered  all 
foreigners  to  leave  the  kingdom.  We  saw  them  (says  a 
chronicler),  we  saw  all  those  Brabantincs  and  Flemings 
recross  the  sea  to  return  to  their  plough-tails,  and  from 
being  lords  become  serfs  again." 

The  expulsion  of  the  foreign*  mercenaries  had  been 
popular;  but  this  was  not  the  principal  object  of  the  king, 


148 


HISTORY  OF  ENGL  AND.       [Chap.  VIL 


who  desired  i-o  reconstitute  the  royal  domain,  and  with 
that  object  convoked  a  grand  council,  which  admitted, 
though  not  without  difficulty,  that  Henry  was  under  the 
necessity  of  resuming  the  grants  made  by  Stephen  and 
Maud.  The  king  was  not  more  sparing  of  the  partisans 
of  his  mother  than  of  her  enemies.  From  the  moment 
that  right  was  on  his  side  he  never  stopped  in  his  efforts  : 
from  castle  to  castle,  from  domain  to  domain,  he  triumphed 
over  the  mxalcontents,  either  by  the  sword  or  by  negotiation. 
When  he  became  master  of  one  fortress  he  instantly  had 
it  razed  to  the  ground.  In  this  way  eleven  hundred 
castles  disappeared  from  the  face  of  England  ;  they  had 
been  mere  haunts  of  robbers  who  oppressed  the  country 
roundabout.  The  peasants  and  the  townspeople  applauded 
the  work  of  destruction. 

King  Henry  had  already  triumphed  over  his  vassals 
and  defeated  his  brother  Geoffrey,  who  had  refused  to 
acquiesce  in  his  spoliation.  He  had  compelled  him  to  take 
refuge  at  Nantes,  the  population  of  which  town  had  offered 
him  the  government.  In  1157  he  came  to  the  determina- 
tion to  bring  to  an  end  the  struggle  with  the  Welsh,  who 
were  still  fighting  proudly  for  their  independence.  But 
Henry  did  not  know  well  that  country  of  mountains  and 
defiles.  He  became  entangled  in  the  environs  of  the  forest 
of  Coleshill,  and  the  Welsh  sallying  forth  in  a  mass  from 
the  obscure  lurking-places  where  they  had  been  lying  in 
ambush,  fell  upon  the  English  army.  The  massacre  was 
great.  The  Earl  of  Essex,  hereditary  standard-bearer  of 
the  crown,  let  fall  the  royal  banner,  and  took  to  flight. 
The  rumor  spread  abroad  at  once  that  the  king  was  killed, 
but  he  soon  rallied  his  troops  and  effected  his  retreat  to  a 
more  open  country,  where  he  pitched  )iis  camp,  and  thence 
inflicted  so  much  annoyance  on  the  Welsh  that  witliout 
venturing  a  second  time  upon  a  fixed  battle  they  consented 


Chap.  VIL] 


HENRY  11. 


149 


to  restore  to  Henry  the  territory  which  they  had  won 
back  from  Stephen,  and  to  swear  fideHty  and  homage  to 
him  for  the  lands  which  they  retained.  The  struggles  of 
King  Henry  with  the  Welsh  were  not  ended.  Repeated 
insurrections  were  destined  to  recall  him  into  the  moun- 
tains ;  but  he  succeeded  nevertheless  in  securing  and 
extending  his  dominion  over  that  indomitable  population, 
proud  of  the  antiquity  of  their  race,  and  convinced  that  all 
England  belonged  to  them  by  right  of  birth. 

Geoffrey  had  lately  died  at  Nantes  (1158)  and  his 
brother  claimed  that  city  as  belonging  to  him  by  inherit- 
ance. In  vain  the  citizens  protested :  in  vain  Conan, 
duke  of  Brittany,  and  earl  of  Richmond  in  England, 
maintained  the  rights  of  his  vassals,  King  Henry  confiscated 
the  lands  of  the  Earl  of  Richmond  and  crossed  the  sea 
with  so  powerful  an  army  that  the  inhabitants  of  Nantes 
were  terrified  and  opened  their  gates  to  him.  Henry 
immediately  took  possession  of  all  the  territory  between 
the  Loire  and  the  Vilaine,  and  proposed  to  the  duke  to 
terminate  their  differences  by  affiancing  his  daughter  Con- 
stance to  Geoffrey,  the  third  of  the  English  princes.  In 
order  to  obtain  the  consent  of  the  King  of  France,  Louis 
VII.,  to  this  increase  of  his  power  upon  French  soil,  Henry 
had  sought  the  hand  of  Margaret  of  France  on  behalf  of 
Henry,  his  eldest  son. 

This  gleam  of  a  good  understanding  between  the  great 
powers  of  the  earth  was  very  soon  disturbed  by  new 
ambitious  dreams  of  Henry  Plantagenet.  Eleanor  of 
Aquitainc  had,  or  believed  herself  to  have  through  her 
grandmother,  claims  to  the  countship  of  Toulouse.  Her 
first  husband,  Louis  VIL,  had  relinquished  those  rights  by 
treaty  after  an  attempt  to  seize  them  by  force  of  arms  ; 
but  by  virtue  of  the  divorce,  Eleanor  had  vested  her  pre- 
tensions in  her  second  husband,  Henry,  king  of  England, 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.     [Chap.  VII. 


who  claimed  the  cession  pure  and  simple  of  the  countship 
by  Raymond  of  St.  Gilles,  count  of  Toulouse.  The  latter 
-  invoked  the  aid  of  his  suzerain  lord,  the  King  of  France. 
In  the  prospect  of  this  distant  struggle,  Henry  commuted 
the  military  service  which  his  vassals  were  bound  to  render 
into  a  tax,  and  by  means  of  this  money  he  secured  the 
services  of  an  army  of  Brabantines.  With  these  marched 
Malcolm,  king  of  Scotland  ;  and  the  King  of  Aragon,  who 
like  the  King  of  France  and  the  Duke  of  Brittany  had 
lately  affianced  his  daughter  to  one  of  the  sons  of  Henry, 
and  the  most  warlike  of  the  English  barons.  But  Louis 
VII.  had  already  entered  Toulouse,  when  Henry  advanced 
against  that  city.  Louis  had  but  few  troops  with  him  and 
the  King  of  England  might  easily  have  attempted  an 
assault :  scruples  based  upon  his  position  of  vassal  of  his 
lord,  however,  restrained  him.  When  the  French  army 
had  joined  Louis  VII.  a  few  feats  of  arms  of  little  impor- 
tance soon  brought  the  war  to  an  end  ;  but  it  had  left 
indelible  traces.  The  inhabitants  of  the  south  of  France 
had  acquired  the  habit  of  calling  to  their  aid  som.e- 
times  the  King  of  France,  sometimes  the  King  of 
England,  and  their  independence  was  destined  to  suc- 
cumb under  these  powerful  protectors.  It  was  so  well 
known  upon  the  banks  of  the  Garonne  that  the  southern 
provinces  were  at  peace  when  their  dangerous  allies  were 
quarrelling  elsewhere  that  people  openly  asked,  in  the  form 
of  a  prayer,  When  will  the  truce  between  the  English 
and  the  Tournois  come  to  an  end 

In  the  midst  of  these  wars  and  negotiations,  these  inva- 
sions and  these  treaties.  King  Henry  relied  on  all  sides 
upon  the  advice  and  the  support  of  Thomas  Becket,  or  a 
Becket,  chancellor  of  England,  the  son  of  Gilbert  a  Becket, 
a  merchant  of  the  city  of  London,  of  Norman  origin.  A 
romantic  story  attaches  to  the  birth  of  Thomas  Becket.  It 


Chap.  VIL] 


HENRY  IL 


is  related  that  the  busy  passers-by  in  the  streets  of  London, 
had,  to  their  great  surprise,  observed  one  day  a  woman 
wearing  Oriental  costume  who  was  wandering  about 
repeating  the  name  of  Gilbert.  To  questions  put  to  her 
she  gave  no  answer,  and  she  knew  no  other  EngHsh  words 
than  Gilbert "  and  London."  The  people  around  her 
had  begun  to  murmur,  when  she  was  recognized  by  a 
servant  who  had  accompanied  Gilbert  Becket  to  the 
crusades.  Both  had  been  made  prisoners  and  had  suc- 
ceeded in  escaping :  but  the  daughter  of  the  Emir  who 
had  held  them  captive  had  conceived  a  passion  for  Gilbert ; 
she  had  followed  his  traces  to  the  shore  and  had  found 
means  of  going  to  England,  and  then  to  London,  without 
any  other  guide  to  the  whereabouts  of  him  she  loved  than 
this  name  of  Gilbert,  at  that  time  a  very  common  one. 
Becket  consulted  his  confessor ;  the  Saracen  princess  was 
baptized  under  the  name  of  Matilda,  and  Gilbert  married 
her.  Her  husband  made  a  great  fortune  and  his  son 
Thomas,  a  handsome  and  intelligent  youth,  had  been 
brought  up  with  great  care,  then  sent  into  France  and  Italy 
to  finish  his  education.  He  had  been  taken  notice  of  from 
his  childhood  by  Theobald,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  who 
took  him  into  his  house  as  soon  as  he  had  completed  his 
studies  and  employed  him  in  the  most  delicate  diplomatic 
affairs,  when  at  the  accession  of  King  Henry  II.  he  himself 
fulfilled  the  functions  of  prime  minister.  The  king  took  a 
liking  to  the  young  archdeacon,  and  in  1156  appointed 
him  chancellor,  at  the  same  time  confiding  to  him  the 
education  of  his  eldest  son.  He  also  made  him  constable 
of  the  Tower,  with  the  custody  of  considerable  domains. 
The  ecclesiastical  benefices  often  vacant,  which  the  chan- 
cellor was  in  no  haste  to  fill  up,  caused  to  flow  into  the 
treasury  the  rich  revenues  of  the  bishoprics  and  abbeys. 
Gilbert  Becket  was  dead,  and  his  son  had  inherited  a  great 


152  HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND,      [Chap.  VII. 


fortune.  He  was  forty  years  of  age,  elegant  in  his  person, 
magnificent  in  his  attire,  skilled  in  all  bodily  exercises,  and 
at  the  same  time  learned,  courageous,  enterprising,  and 
able.  The  king,  who  saw  only  through  his  eyes,  kept 
him  incessantly  at  his  side,  and  could  not  endure  his 
absence.  Becket  kept  a  splendid  retinue,  remarkable,  even 
at  that  period  of  magnificent  extravagance.  His  house 
was  filled  with  knights  and  daughters  of  great  lords  who 
designed  to  secure  by  this  means  the  favor  of  the  king, 
and  to  bring  up  their  children  in  the  manners  of  the  court 
His  sumptuously  furnished  table  was  open  to  all  comers, 
and  when  a  diplomatic  mission  led  the  chancellor  abroad, 
the  retinue  which  accompanied  him  was  so  magnificent 
and  so  numerous  that  the  spectators  exclaimed,  What 
must  the  king  of  England  be,  when  his  servant  travels 
with  such  pomp  It  was  in  this  way  that  Thomas  Becket 
presented  himself  at  the  French  court  to  negotiate  on  the 
affair  of  Brittany  and  the  alliance  of  Prince  Henry  with 
Margaret  of  France.  With  similar  grand  display,  although 
of  a  different  nature,  he  accompanied  the  king  in  his 
campaign  through  the  countship  of  Toulouse,  of  which  he 
directed  in  person  the  greater  part  of  the  operations.  He 
was  at  the  head  of  seven  hundred  knights  and  men  of 
arms,  supported  at  his  expense,  when  he  attacked  tlie 
town  of  Cahors  and  the  castles  which  surrounded  it.  His 
sagacity,  his  good  humor,  his  caustic  and  fertile  wit  were 
to  the  king  a  continual  source  of  amusement.  He  lived 
with  his  favorite  in  almost  brotherly  intimacy,  and  the 
administrative  talents  which  the  chancellor  displayed  in 
domestic  affairs  added  to  his  popularity.  "  I  will  make 
thee  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,''  Henry  often  said.  Becket 
smiled  and  shook  his  head.  When  the  prior  of  Leicester, 
a  rigid  ecclesiastic,  reproached  him  with  the  worldliness 
and  outward  show  of  his  mode  of  Uving,  reminding  him 


Chap.  VII.] 


HENRY  IL 


153 


that  he  was  destined  to  become  primate  of  England,  the 
chancellor  exclaimed,  I  know  three  poor  priests  more 
fitted  than  I  for  that  dignity.  If  ever  I  attained  it,  I 
should  either  lose  the  kings  favor,  or  forget  my  duty 
towards  God." 

The  Archbishop  Theobald  was  dead  (1161).  For 
thirteen  months  the  king  left  the  see  vacant,  in  order  to 
appropriate  its  revenues :  but  he  did  not  lose  sight  of  the 
choice  on  which  he  had  resolved.  Becket  was  devoted  to 
him  :  he  had  always  displayed  great  respect  for  the  royal 
prerogative,  exacting  so  rigorously  what  was  due  to  the 
crown,  even  from  the  clergy,  that  the  Bishop  of  London, 
Gilbert  FoUiot,  accused  him  angrily  of  plunging  a  dagger 
into  the  maternal  bosom  of  his  Church.  Henry  believed 
himself  sure  of  thus  raising  to  the  ecclesiastical  supremacy 
a  friend  who  would  support  him  in  the  reforms  which  he 
was  meditating.  He  sent  for  Thomas  Becket  at  Toulouse, 
where  he  happened  to  be,  and  ordered  him  to  set  out 
immediately  for  England,  where  he  would  be  elected  arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury.  Becket  smiled  as  he  pointed  to  the 
magnificent  dress  in  which  he  was  clothed.  You  choose 
fine  dresses  to  figure  at  the  head  of  your  monks  at  Canter- 
bury," he  said.  If  you  do  as  you  say,  sire,  you  will 
hate  me  very  soon  as  much  as  you  now  love  me  ;  for  you 
will  meddle  in  the  affairs  of  the  Church  more  tlian  I  can 
consent  to,  and  people  will  not  be  wanting  to  embroil 
us." 

The  king  paid  no  heed  to  the  views  of  the  chancellor. 
The  bishops  and  the  chapter  of  Canterbury  proclaimed 
Becket  unanimously,  with  the  exception  of  Gilbert  Folliot, 
who  had  hoped  to  secure  that  promotion  for  himself.  The 
new  archbishop  received  the  order  of  priesthood,  for  he  was 
hitherto  only  a  deacon,  and  he  v/as  consecrated  by  Henry 
of  Winchester,  brother  of  King  Stephen.    The  pallium  was 


154 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  VII. 


brought  from  Rome,  and  Becket  took  possession  of  the 
archiepiscopal  throne. 

In  placing  his  hand  upon  the  pastoral  crozier  Becket  had 
completely  changed  his  way  of  living.  From  the  most 
ostentatious  luxury  he  suddenly  passed  to  the  austerest 
life.  No  more  festivities ;  no  more  horses ;  no  more 
sumptuous  clothing.  The  rich  revenues  were  expended  in 
alms ;  the  archbishop  had  resigned  his  position  as  chancel- 
lor, saying  that  he  could  not  do  justice  to  the  affairs  of  the 
king  as  well  as  those  of  the  Church.  Henry  was  astonished 
at  this  transformation ;  but  as  yet  it  caused  him  no  irrita- 
tion. When  the  court  returned  to  England  the  archbishop 
conducted  his  royal  pupil  to  his  father  and  the  king 
exhibited  towards  him  the  affection  and  the  confidence  to 
which  he  had  been  accustomed. 

Meanwhile  the  storm  was  approaching.  Becket  had 
resolved  to  restore  to  the  see  of  Canterbury  its  primitive 
splendor ;  and  to  take  back  from  the  hands  of  the 
despoiler  the  property  of  which  the  chapter  had  been 
deprived  by  slow  degrees.  This  measure,  similar  to  that 
which  Henry  had  long  before  applied  to  the  crown  pro- 
perty, seemed  to  the  king  objectionable  when  the  matter 
in  hand  was  the  lands  of  the  archbishopric.  Becket  even 
dared  to  demand  a  castle,  and  he  had  excommunicated  a 
vassal  holding  directly  from  the  crown  who  had  expelled 
a  priest  from  his  domains.  It  was  with  an  ill  will  and 
after  much  difficulty  that  the  archbishop  withdrew  his 
sentence  in  obedience  to  the  king's  orders. 

While  these  clouds  were  gathering  in  the  sky  Henry 
was  preparing  a  measure  fatal  to  the  good  understanding 
between  himself  and  his  favorite.  The  priests  and  all  those 
who  depended,  directly  or  indirectly,  on  the  Church,  had 
the  right  of  being  judged  exclusively  by  ecclesiastical 
tribunals ;  and    clerical   justice    was    accused    of  great 


Chap.  VII.] 


HENRY  IL 


155 


partiality.  Its  very  laws  forbade  the  shedding  of  blood. 
Thus  a  servant  of  the  Church  could  not  be  condemned  to 
death  even  for  murder,  and  this  assurance  often  led  to  the 
most  odious  crimes,  the  repression  of  which  was  uncertain. 
The  king  had  resolved  to  remedy  this  inconvenience  by 
requiring  that  every  priest  degraded  for  his  misdeeds 
should  be  given  up  to  the  civil  tribunals,  who  should 
judge  him  in  their  turn.  Becket  maintained  that  it  would 
be  unjust  to  judge  and  punish  twice  the  same  culprit.  The 
greater  number  of  the  bishops  were  of  his  opinion.  The 
king  shifted  the  question:  Will  you,"  he  asked  the 
assembly  of  prelates,  "  swear  to  maintain  the  ancient  cus- 
toms of  the  realm  ?"  "  Save  the  honor  of  our  order,'' 
replied  all  the  bishops,  with  the  exception  of  Hilary  of 
Chichester.  The  king  was  furious.  He  convoked  a  great 
council  at  Clarendon  (January  25,  1164),  Vvdiere  he  pre- 
sented to  the  bishops  a  series  of  decrees  and  laws  regu- 
lating the  relations  of  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  tribunals, 
which  have  since  been  known  under  the  name  of  The 
Constitutions  of  Clarendon.''  He  had  striven  to  intimidate 
the  bishops  by  stripping  Becket  of  the  castles  and  the 
titles  which  he  had  given  to  him  long  before.  Alternately 
threatening  and  yielding,  the  archbishop  had  arrived  at 
Clarendon  :  he  had  consented  to  sign  the  Constitutions ; 
the  act  was  complete,  and  it  only  remained  now  to  affix 
the  seals  when  Becket  was  seized  with  remorse.  I  will 
never  affix  my  seal  to  this,"  he  said,  and  w^ithout  listening 
to  the  representations  of  his  colleagues,  or  the  counsels  of 
the  Gland  Master  of  the  Templars,  or  taking  heed  of  the 
anger  of  the  king,  who  had  left  the  hall  of  council  in  a  fit 
of  rage,  he  remounted  his  horse  and  returned  gloomily  to 
Canterbury,  lamenting  over  his  sins  as  the  cause  of  the  en- 
slavement of  the  Church  in  England.  I  was  taken  from 
the  court  to  become  a  bishop— vain  and  proud  as  I  was — not 


156 


HISTORY    OF  ENGLAXD.      [Chap.  VII. 


from  the  school  of  the  Saviour,  but  from  the  palace  of 
Caesar.  I  was  a  feeder  of  birds,  and  I  was  suddenly 
called  on  to  be  the  pastor  of  men ;  I  was  the  patron  of 
of  mummers  and  took  delight  in  following  the  hounds.  I 
have  become  the  keeper  of  many  souls.  I  neglected  my 
own  vineyard,  and  now  I  am  entrusted  with  the  vineyard 
of  others.'*  He  fasted  and  prayed,  refusing  to  ascend  the 
steps  of  the  altar ;  and  he  found  no  rest  until  the  Pope 
had  sent  him  absolution  for  his  failings.  The  pontiff  had 
not  ratified  the  Constitutions  of  Clarendon. 

The  king  had  not  abandoned  his  project.  His  anger 
was  directed  against  the  archbishop,  whom  he  rightly 
regarded  as  the  only  serious  obstacle  to  nis  designs.  He 
summoned  him  to  appear  before  his  council  which  met  at 
Southampton  (October  1164),  under  pretext  of  a  denial  of 
justice  on  the  part  of  his  archiepiscopal  court.  Becket 
excused  himself,  but  was  condemned  to  forfeit  his  personal 
property,  a  sentence  which  was  commuted  into  a  fine  of 
five  hundred  pounds  sterling.  The  charges  against  him 
were  not  yet  exhausted.  A  demand  was  made  for  the 
rents  which  he  had  received  from  lands  given  to  him  by 
the  king.  The  archbisDop  promised  payment.  Each  day 
brought  some  new  claim.  The  king,  who  was  furious 
against  his  old  favorite,  demanded  at  length  a  sum  of 
44,000  marks  of  silver,  on  account  of  the  ecclesiastical 
revenues  which  Becket  had  appropriated  as  chancellor 
during  the  vacancies  of  the  sees.  This  was  absolute  ruin, 
and  war  to  the  knife.  The  archbishop  replied  that  it  was 
not  in  his  power  to  pay  such  a  sum,  and  that  he  had  been 
declared  free  from  all  such  claims  when  he  had  resigned 
his  place  as  chancellor  in  order  to  become  Primate  of 
England.  At  the  same  time  he  requested  a  conference 
with  the  bishops  ;  but  all  had  abandoned  him.  Henry  of 
Winchester  alone  proposed  to  pay  the  sums  demanded  of 


Chap.  VII.J 


HENRY  IL 


157 


the  archbishop.      The  king  would  not  listen  to  him. 

What  he  desires  is  your  resignation,"  said  the  Bishops  of 
London  and  Winchester  to  Becket  The  life  of  this 
man  is  in  danger,"  exclaimed  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln. 

He  will  lose  his  bishopric  or  his  life  ;  and  I  would  like 
to  know  of  what  use  his  bishopric  will  be  when  he  is 
dead." 

Under  the  effects  of  so  many  violent  emotions  the 
archbishop  had  been  taken  ill ;  he  sincerely  believed  him- 
self to  be  bound  to  maintain  the  juridical  rights  of  the 
Church,  and  in  his  mind  this  cause  was  absolutely  identified 
with  the  cause  of  God.  To  allow  the  ecclesiastical 
privileges  to  be  trammelled  by  the  royal  authority, 
appeared  to  him  an  act  of  treason  against  the  Lord  God 
who  had  elevated  him,  unworthy  as  he  was,  to  the  office 
of  pastor  of  souls."  Defeated  and  troubled,  he  at  one 
time  thought  of  throwing  himself  at  the  king's  feet,  and 
begging  him  to  spare  the  Church  for  the  sake  of  their  old 
friendship  ;  but  Becket's  was  a  proud  and  ungovernable 
spirit,  and  such  humiliation  appeared  impossible  to  him ; 
he  therefore  resolved  to  fight  it  out  to  the  last.  It  was  on 
the  1 8th  of  October,  11 64,  that  he  was  to  appear  before 
the  court  to  receive  his  final  sentence.  Clad  in  his 
episcopal  robes,  he  celebrated  mass  in  honor  of  St.  Stephen, 
the  first  martyr ;  and  then,  after  laying  down  his  mitre,  he 
advanced,  holding  a  crucifix  in  his  hand,  and  followed  by 
the  priests  into  the  council-chamber.  As  he  was  entering, 
the  Bishop  of  Hereford  came  to  him,  with  the  intention  of 
taking  the  crucifix  from  him.  Allow  me  to  keep  it,  my 
lord,"'he  said;  '^it  is  the  banner  of  the  Prince  whom  I  serve." 
The  Bishop  of  London,  Gilbert  Folliot,  was  there,  and  also 
wished  to  take  the  crucifix  from  the  hands  of  the  prelate. 
"  You  defy  the  king,"  cried  he,  by  coming  in  this  garb 
to  his  court ;  but  the  king  holds  a  sword,  the  point  of 


158 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.     [Chap.  VII. 


which  is  sharper  than  your  crucifix/'  The  archbishop 
had,  however,  entered  the  council-chamber,  and  on  seeing 
him  Henry  blushed  deeply  and  hastily  retired.  The  arch- 
bishop sat  down,  but  the  bishops  had  been  called  away 
by  the  king ;  discord  reigned  in  the  royal  chamber. 
Henry  was  furious,  and  railed  bitterly  first  against  the 
obstinacy  of  the  archbishop,  and  then  against  the  cowardice 
of  his  own  advisers.  The  Archbishop  of  York  retired, 
calling  all  his  followers,  in  order,  as  he  said,  to  avoid 
seeing  bloodshed.  The  Bishop  of  Exeter  went  and  threw 
himself  at  Becket's  feet,  imploring  him  to  give  in  and  to  save 
his  life.  Go,'' said  the  archbishop,  "  you  do  not  under- 
stand those  things  which  are  of  God."  At  length  the 
bishops  returned  with  Hilary  of  Chichester  at  their  head. 

You  were  our  primate,"  he  said,  but  in  putting  yourself 
in  opposition  to  the  royal  will  you  have  broken  your  oath 
of  allegiance  ;  a  perjured  archbishop  has  no  longer  any 
claim  upon  our  obedience ;  we  will  submit  the  affair  tc 
the  pope,  and  call  upon  you  to  answer  before  him  for 
your  conduct."  "  I  understand,"  replied  the  archbishop 
coldly. 

The  noblemen  had  followed  the  bishops,  and  the  Earl 
of  Leicester  approached  Becket.  Hear  your  sentence," 
he  began.  My  sentence !"  cried  Becket ;  my  son, 
listen  to  me  first :  you  know  how  faithfully  I  have  served 
the  king,  and  with  what  repugnance  I  accepted  this  duty 
to  please  him.  You  are  my  children  in  God ;  can  a  son 
sit  in  judgment  on  his  father  ?  I  take  exception  to  your 
tribunal  and  appeal  to  the  Pope.  I  place  myself,  as  well 
as  my  Church,  under  his  protection,  and  summon  the 
bishops  who  have  obeyed  the  king  rather  than  their  God, 
to  answer  at  that  tribunal ;  it  is  under  the  protection  of 
the  Holy  Catholic  Church  and  of  the  apostolic  see  that  I 
Ijave  this  court." 


Chap.  VII.] 


HENRY  IL 


159 


He  had  risen  from  his  seat,  and  all  the  bishops  had  done 
likewise  ;  followed  by  his  priests,  he  strode  slowly  across 
the  room ;  the  courtiers  insulted  him  and  threw  at  him 
the  bundles  of  straw  which  covered  the  floor.  Somebody 
called  out  traitor."  Were  it  not  for  the  garments 
which  I  wear,  that  coward  would  repent  his  insolence,'' 
said  the  archbishop,  who  then  mounted  his  horse,  while  he 
was  saluted  by  the  cries  of  the  people  who  were  prostrating 
themselves  and  asking  his  benediction.  The  prelate  caused 
the  doors  of  the  monastery  in  which  he  resided  to  be 
opened,  and  the  poor  entered  in  crowds,  the  archbishop 
giving  them  a  supper,  and  sitting  down  to  table  with  them 
himself 

The  Scriptures  were  being  read,  and  Becket  was  struck 
by  these  words  of  the  Lord  :  If  you  are  persecuted  in 
one  town,  fly  to  another.''  He  sent  to  the  king  for  a 
passport.  You  shall  be  answered  to-morrow,"  was  the 
message  sent  back  from  the  palace.  The  friends  of  Becket 
were  in  great  fear.  This  night  will  be  your  last  if  you 
do  not  fly,"  said  the  clergy.  The  archbishop  at  length 
decided  to  leave  England.  Mounted  on  horseback,  and 
accompanied  by  three  priests,  he  set  out  in  the  direction 
of  Kent,  amidst  torrents  of  rain  that  compelled  him  to  cut 
off  the  skirts  of  his  long  mantle,  which  were  wet  and  heavy 
and  were  irksome  to  him.  He  wandered  about  in  the 
disguise  of  a  monk,  and  under  the  name  of  Brother 
Christian,  during  twenty  days  in  Kent,  meeting  with  many 
adventures.  At  length  he  procured  a  little  vessel,  and 
landed  on  the  2nd  of  November,  11 64,  in  the  countship 
of  Boulogne,  near  Gravelines,  whence  he  repaired  on  ,  foot 
and  in  the  same  disguise,  to  the  convent  of  Saint-Bertin, 
near  Namur. 

The  fugitive's  first  thought  v/as  to  ask  shelter  of  the 
King  of  France  and  orotection  of  Pope  Alexander  II., 


i6o 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,      [Chap.  VII. 


who  was  then  residing  at  Sens ;  the  anti-Pope  Victor  held 
possession  of  Rome.  The  ambassadors  of  Henry  II.  had 
preceded  Becket  at  both  courts  ;  but  Louis  the  Young,  an 
enemy  to  the  King  of  England  and  therefore  unwilling  to 
do  the  latter  a  service,  haughtily  declared  that  it  was  the 
ancient  privilege  of  the  French  crown  to  succor  the 
oppressed  against  their  persecutors.  The  Pope  at  first 
received  Becket's  representative  rather  coldly ;  but  he 
ended  by  deciding  to  brave  the  anger  of  Henry  II.  and 
received  the  fallen  archbishop  with  great  kindness.  "  If  I 
had  been  willing  to  do  the  bidding  of  the  king  in  all 
things,''  said  Becket,  nobody  in  his  kingdom  would  now 
be  as  great  as  I ;  but  I  know  that  I  obtained  through  him 
the  position  which  I  occupy  to  the  prejudice  of  the  liberty 
of  the  Church  ;  that  is  the  reason  that  I  throw  myself  at 
your  Holiness's  feet ;  your  Holiness  must  appoint  a  new 
primate  of  England."  The  Pope  did  not  accept  this 
resignation,  and  having  caused  the  Constitutions  of  Claren- 
don to  be  read  to  the  prelate,  he  condemned  them,  with 
the  exception  of  six  clauses ;  then  raising  the  archbishop, 
whom  he  had  reinvested  with  his  ecclesiastical  dignity. 
Go,"  said  he,  and  learn  in  poverty  to  console  the  poor." 
The  Pope  assigned  the  abbey  of  Pontigny  to  him  as  his 
residence,  and  authorized  him  to  excommunicate  the 
enemies  of  the  Church. 

When  Henry  heard  of  the  success  of  his  adversary,  his 
anger  knew  no  bounds  ;  not  only  did  he  confiscate  both 
the  goods  and  revenues  of  Becket  and  the  priests  who  had 
followed  him,  but  he  included  in  his  revenge  all  the  mem- 
bers of  the  archbishop's  family  as  well  as  all  his  friends. 
He  proscribed  more  than  four  hundred  persons,  men, 
women,  and  children,  whom  he  sent,  divested  of  every- 
thing, to  Becket,  to  complain  of  the  misfortune  which  he 
had  brought  upon  them.     Every  day  these  unhappy 


Chap,  VII.] 


HENRY  11, 


i6i 


people  would  present  themselves  at  the  convent  of  Pon- 
tigny,  breaking  the  heart  of  the  archbishop,  who  found 
no  rest  until  the  time  when  the  combined  charity  of  King 
Louis,  the  Pope,  and  the  Queen  of  Sicily,  provided  for  the 
necessities  of  the  exiles. 

Meanwhile,  King  Henry  had  on  hand  grave  affairs 
which  would  soon  have  made  him  forget  his  grievances 
against  the  archbishop,  if  he  had  been  of  a  less  vindictive 
disposition.  The  Welsh  had  revolted,  and  the  war  against 
them  had  been  unfortunate  in  consequence  of  bad  weather ; 
the  king  had  consoled  himself  for  this  by  causing  the  noses 
of  the  hostages  to  be  cut  off  and  their  eyes  destroyed  ;  but 
this  was  not  sufficient  to  appease  his  anger.  He  found 
satisfaction  in  Brittany,  where  he  profited  by  the  rebellion 
against  Conan.  Henry  took  advantage  of  it  to  seize  upon 
the  country.  He  celebrated,  in  ii  66,  the  marriage  of  his 
son  Geoffi'ey  with  Constance.  Brittany  was  pacified,  but 
Becket  had  just  excommunicated  all  those  who  held  the 
property  of  the  Church,  and  particularly  several  of  the 
king's  favorites,  whom  he  mentioned  by  name. 

When  Henry  heard  this  news,  he  was  at  Chinon,  near 
Tours.  His  anger  was  so  violent  that  he  threw  himself 
upon  his  bed,  tearing  the  clothes,  biting  the  straw  of  the 
mattress  and  howling  with  rage.  He  immediately  informed 
the  abbot  of  Pontigny  that  if  the  order  of  Cistercians 
wished  to  retain  their  property  in  the  provinces  dependent 
on  the  King  of  England,  he  must  refuse  the  shelter  of  his 
house  to  the  enemy  who  so  haughtily  defied  his  sovereign. 
The  abbot  went  and  saw  Becket.  God  forbid  that  upon 
such  injunctions  the  chapter  should  think  of  sending  you 
away,"  he  said  ;  consider  for  yourself  what  you  had 
better  do."  The  archbishop  immediately  made  preparation 
to  leave  the  place,  and  went  to  the  convent  of  Saint 
11 


l62 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,      [Chap.  VII. 


Colomba  near  Sens,  where  King  Louis  had  ordered  that 
he  should  be  received  (i  i68). 

Up  to  this  period  poHtical  considerations  had  created  an 
ill-feehng  between  the  King  of  France  and  the  King  of 
England,  and  in  this  lay  Becket's  security;  in  1169  similar 
influences  brought  them  to  an  understanding.  They  met 
at  a  solemn  conference  at  Montmirail,  and  when  the  young 
princes,  Henry's  sons,  had  done  homage  to  the  King  of 
France  for  Normandy,  Aquitaine,  and  Brittany,  the  case 
of  Becket  was  considered,  and  he  was  ordered  to  appear 
before  the  august  assembly.  The  archbishop  was  growing 
weary  of  his  exile,  and  his  protectors  were  growing  weary 
of  defending  him.  It  was  therefore  hoped  that  he  would 
tender  his  submission,  in  order  to  end  the  struggle. 
Becket  presented  himself  before  King  Henry  with  a  grave 
and  modest  air.  Bending  his  knee,  the  archbishop  said. 
My  liege,  in  all  the  disputes  which  have  taken  place 
between  us,  I  submit  to  your  judgment,  as  arbitrary 
sovereign  in  all  points,  except  the  honor  of  God."  Imme- 
diately this  restriction  was  uttered,  the  king  burst  into  a 
passion,  and  turning  towards  King  Louis,  Do  you 
know,"  he  cried,  what  would  happen  if  I  were  to  accept 
this  reservation  ?  Everything  that  should  displease  him 
would  be  contrary  to  the  honor  of  God,  and  I  should  lose 
all  power.  There  have  been  archbishops  at  Canterbury 
much  more  pious  than  he,  and  there  have  been  kings  in 
England  less  powerful  than  I  ;  let  him  only  treat  me  as 
the  least  pious  of  his  predecessors  treated  the  smallest  of 
mine,  and  I  shall  be  satisfied."  "  Save  the  honor  of 
God,"  repeated  the  archbishop.  The  assembly  cried  out 
aloud  tliat  it  was  past  endurance,  that  the  king  could  ask 
no  less,  and  that  Becket  was  too  exacting.  "  Do  you 
wish  then  to  be  more  than  a  saint  ?"  asked  Louis  angrily, 
but  he  got  no  further  concession  ;  and  the  two  kings  re- 


Chap.  VII.] 


HENRY  IL 


163 


.mounted  their  horses  without  taking  leave  of  the  arch- 
bishop, whose  fate  was  now  very  much  harder  by  reason 
of  the  estrangement  of  the  King  of  France.  He  was 
reduced  to  Hve  by  alms,  until  the  day  when  Louis  again 
sent  for  him.  It  is  to  banish  us  from  his  dominions,'' 
the  clergy  said,  in  alarm  ;  but  scarcely  had  the  king  seen 
the  archbishop  when  he  threw  himself  in  his  arms.  For- 
give me,  father,"  he  cried,  ^*you  are  right,  we  were 
mistaken  ;  we  wished  to  subject  the  honor  of  God  to  the 
will  of  a  man.  Absolve  me.*'  Henry  had  failed  to  fulfil 
his  contracts  with  King  Louis,  who  had  thereupon  hastened 
to  express  his  approval  of  Becket's  conduct. 

A  fresh  attempt  at  a  reconciliation  broke  down  in  con- 
sequence of  the  king's  firm  decision  never  to  give  to  the 
archbishop  the  kiss  of  peace,  with  which  it  was  usual  to 
ratify  all  oaths.  Meanwhile  Prince  Henry  had  been 
crowned  in  England,  his  father  wishing  to  secure  the 
succession  to  him.  Becket's  office  had  been  usurped,  the 
young  prince  having  received  the  crown  from  the  hands 
of  the  Archbishop  of  York.  The  Pope  had  returned  to 
Rome,  after  the  death  of  the  anti-Pope  Victor,  and  the 
displeasure  or  favor  of  the  King  of  England  now  had  fewer 
attractions  or  horrors  for  him.  Henry  was  afraid  that  he 
might  authorize  Becket  to  excommunicate  him  personally, 
and  to  place  his  kingdom  under  an  interdict,  and  he  at 
length  yielded,  under  the  advice  of  the  king  of  France, 
with  whom  he  had  just  effected  a  reconciHation.  In  the 
month  of  July,  11 70,  the  two  antagonists  met  within  the 
confines  of  Touraine.  As  soon  as  the  king  perceived  the 
archbishop,  he  came  forward,  helmet  in  hand,  and  accosted 
him.  They  conversed  in  a  friendly  manner,  with  a  certain 
amount  of  their  old  familiarity,  and  when  they  parted 
from  each  other,  the  king  said  to  his  courtiers,  I  found 
the  archbishop  most  favorably  disposed  towards  me,  and 


i64 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND,      [Chap.  VIL 


if  the  feeling  were  not  mutual  I  should  be  the  worst  of 
men."  Within  two  days  of  this  event  the  reconciliation 
took  place.  Becket  bent  his  knee  to  the  king,  who  held 
the  stirrup  for  the  archbishop  to  remount  his  horse ;  but 
the  kiss  of  peace  was  not  given.  However,  the  restitution 
of  the  archbishop's  property  was  agreed  upon.  Henry 
promised  to  supply  Becket  with  the  money  requisite  to 
defray  his  travelling  expenses  to  England,  and  the  two 
enemies,  apparently  reconciled,  took  leave  of  each  other. 

I  do  not  believe  that  I  shall  ever  see  you  again,"  said 
the  archbishop,  looking  fixedly  at  the  king.  "  What ! 
Do  you  take  me  for  a  traitor?"  cried  Henry  angrily. 
The  prelate  only  bowed  in  answer.  He  never  saw  the 
king  again. 

The  archbishop  had  proceeded  to  Rouen,  awaiting  the 
money  whicli  had  been  promised  to  him,  and  during  the 
sojourn  which  he  was  compelled  to  make  in  Normandy, 
he  received  frequent  warnings  of  the  dangers  which  awaited 
him  on  the  other  side  of  the  Channel.  They  will  not 
even  allow  Becket  time  enough  to  eat  a  whole  loaf,"  said 
Ranulph  de  Broc,  who  had  been  excommunicated  by 
him ;  but  Becket  did  not  take  heed  of  any  warnings. 
"  Even,"  he  said,  *^  if  I  had  to  face  the  certainty  of  being 
cut  to  pieces  on  the  other  side  of  the  Channel,  I  should  not 
turn  back  on  my  way.  Seven  years  of  absence  are  sufficient 
for  the  pastor  and  for  his  flock." 

After  having  waited  for  four  months,  he  borrowed  three 
hundred  livres  of  the  Archbishop  of  Rouen,  and  set  sail  in 
a  small  vessel  which  landed  him  in  Sandwich  Bay,  whereby 
he  avoided  an  ambush  which  had  been  prepared  for  him 
near  Dover.  A  messenger  preceded  the  prelate,  bearing 
letters  of  excommunication  from  the  Pope  against  the 
Archbishop  of  York,  the  Bishop  of  London,  and  the 
Bishop  of  Chichester,  who  had  all  taken  part  in  the  cere- 


Chap.  VII.] 


HENRY  II. 


165 


mony  of  the  coronation  of  the  young  king.  The  letters 
were  pubHcly  consigned  to  the  three  bishops,  who  were 
enraged  beyond  measure.  It  was  on  the  first  of  December 
that  Becket  returned  to  England,  to  the  great  delight  of 
the  people,  but  not  a  single  baron  came  to  meet  him. 
The  first  who  passed  were  armed  and  drew  their  swords  ; 
one  of  the  king's  chaplains,  who  had  accompanied  the 
primate,  was  at  great  pains  to  quiet  them,  and  to  protect 
Becket  on  his  re-entering  his  episcopal  city.  He  gathers 
serfs  round  him  on  his  way,"  said  the  noblemen,  "  and 
leads  them  with  him."  The  archbishop  had  come  back  to 
Canterbury  after  having  attempted  to  obtain  an  interview 
with  the  young  king,  his  old  pupil,  but  the  latter  had 
refused  to  see  him,  and  Becket,  confined  to  his  diocese, 
surrounded  himself  with  the  poor  and  the  peasants,  who 
constituted  a  rustic  guard  round  him.  Excommunications 
were  still  being  proclaimed  ;  on  Christmas-day,  after  hav- 
ing begun  his  sermon  with  these  words,  Vcnio  ad  voSy 
mori  inter  vos  "  (I  come  to  you  to  die  among  you),  Becket, 
reminding  his  congregation  that  one  of  their  archbishops 
had  suffered  martyrdom,  added,  You  will  perhaps  see 
another  suffer  in  the  same  manner;  but,  before  dying,  I 
will  avenge  some  of  the  wrongs  done  to  the  Church."  He 
then  excommunicated  Ranulph  and  Robert  de  Broc,  his 
bitter  enemies. 

Meanwhile  the  suspended  bishops  had  crossed  the  sea, 
to  go  and  lay  their  complaints  before  King  Henry  H.,  who 
was  still  in  Normandy.  "  We  throw  ourselves  at  your 
mercy,  in  the  name  of  the  Church  and  State,  for  your 
peace  and  for  ours.  There  is  a  man  who  is  inflaming  all 
England  ;  he  marches  with  troops  of  armed  horsemen  and 
foot-soldiers,  prowling  around  the  fortresses,  trying  to  effect 
an  entrance."  Henry  had  never  sincerely  forgiven  his  old 
favorite,  and  he  was  very  angry  at  these  accounts  of  his 


i66 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,      [Chap.  VII. 


conduct.  What cried  he,  does  this  wretch  who  has 
eaten  my  bread,  who  came  to  my  court  a  beggar,  upon  a 
lame  horse,  with  all  he  possessed  behind  him,  insult  me 
with  impunity,  while  not  one  of  the  cowards  whom  I  feed 
at  my  table  dares  to  deliver  me  from  a  priest  who  is  so 
obnoxious  to  me.'' 

Words  like  these  are  always  caught  up  by  willing  ears. 
When  the  king  convoked  a  council  of  his  barons  to  decide 
what  was  to  be  done  with  Becket,  four  of  their  number 
were  absent — Richard  Brito.  Hugh  de  Moreville,  William 
de  Tracy,  and  Reginald  Fitzttrse.  When  the  king  observed 
that  they  were  not  there,  he  became  uneasy,  and  hastened 
the  departure  of  the  Earl  of  Mandeville,  who  was  commis- 
sioned to  arrest  Becket.  The  four  conspirators  preceded 
him. 

On  the  29th  of  December,  in  the  morning,  they  arrived 
at  Canterbury,  followed  by  a  troop  of  soldiers  whom  they 
had  collected  together  on  their  way.  They  wished  to 
secure  the  help  of  the  mayor  of  the  town,  but  the  latter 
refused.  The  knights  recommended  him  at  least  to  keep 
the  townsmen  quiet,  and  they  proceeded  to  the  prelate's 
house  with  twelve  of  their  friends. 

The  archbishop  was  in  his  room,  and  the  knights  sat 
down  on  the  floor  without  saluting  him  and  in  silence. 
No  one  dared  begin.    The  archbishop  asked  their  business. 

We  have  come  on  behalf  of  the  king,"  said  Reginald 
Fitzurse,  "  in  order  that  those  you  have  excommunicated 
may  be  absolved,  that  the  bishops  who  have  been  sus- 
pended may  be  re-established  in  their  positions,  and  that 
you  may  justify  your  designs  against  the  king."  It  is 
not  I  who  excommunicated  the  Archbishop  of  York,"  said 
Becket,  "but  the  Pope  himself.  As  to  the  others,  I  will 
re-establish  them  if  they  will  tender  their  submission." 
"  From  whom  do  you  hold  your  appointment  as  arch- 


Chap.  VIL] 


HENRY  IT. 


167 


bishop  ?"  inquired  Fitzurse,  from  the  Pope  or  from  the 
king  My  spiritual  office  I  hold  by  the  will  of  God 

and  the  Pope/'  said  the  primate,  "  and  my  temporal  rights 
from  the  king/'  It  is  not  from  the  king,  then,  that  you 
obtain  everything  ?"  No."  The  knights  were  restless, 
and  were  twisting  their  gloves  angrily.  I  am  astonished," 
said  Becket,  that  men  who  formerly  swore  allegiance  to 
me  come  into  my  house  to  threaten  me."  "We  will  do 
more  than  threaten,"  cried  the  barons.  They  thereupon 
retired  hastily. 

The  priests  and  attendants  who  surrounded  Becket  were 
alarmed  ;  they  wanted  to  close  all  the  doors  and  barricade 
the  house,  begging  the  bishop  to  take  refuge  in  the  church. 
He  refused.  Already  the  noise  of  battle-axes  rattling 
against  the  entrance  was  heard.  Fitzurse  was  endeavoring 
to  break  open  the  door,  which  an  attendant  had  shut  upon 
the  intruders,  who  had  now  come  back  with  their  weapons. 
The  bell  of  the  church  was  ringing  for  vespers.  Since  it 
is  my  duty,  I  will  go  to  the  church,"  said  Becket,  and, 
preceded  by  a  priest  carrying  a  cross,  he  passed  slowly 
through  the  cloisters  and  entered  the  cathedral.  The  door 
had  not  given  way,  but  the  conspirators  had  just  entered 
the  palace  by  the  window.  The  clergy  were  hastening  to 
close  the  doors  of  the  church.  No,"  said  the  archbishop, 
"  the  house  of  God  should  not  be  barricaded  like  a  fortress." 
He  was  ascending  the  steps  leading  to  the  choir  when  Regi- 
nald Fitzurse  entered  abruptly  at  the  other  end  of  the 
church.    He  was    brandishing    his  sword    and  crying. 

Come,  loyal  subjects  of  the  king."  It  was  late ;  the 
movements  of  the  conspirators  were  scarcely  observable, 
neither  could  the  latter  see  the  priests  distinctly.  Tlie 
archbishop  was  urged  to  descend  into  tlie  crypt.  He 
refused,  and  advanced  boldly  towards  the  sacrilegious 
intruders,  who  were  brandishing  their  swords  within  tlie 


i6S  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  VII. 

holy  precincts.  His  cross-bearer  alone  had  not  fled. 
"  Where  is  the  traitor  ?"  cried  a  voice.  Becket  did 
not  answer.  Where  is  the  archbishop  repeated  Fitz- 
urse.  I  am  here,"  said  Becket,  but  no  traitor,  only 
a  priest  of  the  Lord.  What  are  you  here  for?"  ''Ab- 
solve   all    those    whom    you   have  excommunicated." 

They  have  not  repented,  and  therefore  I  cannot." 
*'  You  shall  die  then."  "  I  am  ready,  in  the  name 
of  the  Saviour ;  but  I  forbid  you,  by  the  Lord 
Almighty,  to  touch  any  of  these  present,  either  priests  or 
laymen,"  At  this  moment  he  received  between  the 
shoulders  a  blow  with  the  flat  part  of  a  sword.  *'  Fly," 
they  cried,  "  or  you  are  a  dead  man."  The  archbishop 
did  not  stir ;  the  intruders  endeavored  to  drag  him  out,  not 
daring  to  kill  him  in  the  sanctuary ;  he  was  struggling  in 
their  grasp.  At  length  Wiiliam  de  Tracy  raised  his  sword 
and  wounded  the  archbishop  in  the  head,  striking  down  at 
the  same  time  the  hand  of  Edward  Gryme,  the  brave 
cross-bearer.  Becket  had  clasped  his  hands  together  :  '*  I 
confide  my  soul  and  the  cause  of  the  Church  to  God,  to 
the  Virgin  Mary,  to  the  patron  saints  of  this  church,  and  to 
St.  Denis,"  he  cried.  A  second  thrust  from  a  sword  laid 
him  prostrate  upon  the  ground  near  St.  Bennet's  altar ;  a 
third  blow  split  his  skull,  and  the  sword  was  broken  on  the 
paved  floor.  ''  Thus  perish  all  traitors,"  cried  one  of  the 
conspirators,  and  they  left  the  church  hurriedly,  while  the 
monks  were  tearfully  laying  the  archbishop's  body  out  at 
the  foot  of  the  altar,  taking  up  his  blood  in  vessels,  leaving 
exposed  to  view  the  hair-cloth  which  he  wore,  and  already 
revering  him  as  a  martyr.  But  on  the  morrow  they  were 
obliged  to  bury  him  in  great  haste  in  order  to  spare  his 
dead  body  the  indignity  of  being  insulted  by  Ranulph  de 
Broc,  who  desired  to  take  it  away.  The  Archbishop  of 
York  publicly  declared  that  Becket  had  fallen  in  his  guilt 


Chap.  VII.] 


HENRY  IL 


169 


and  his  pride  like  Pharaoh,  while  other  bishops  maintained 
that  the  body  of  the  traitor  ought  not  to  he  in  consecrated 
ground,  and  that  he  should  be  thrown  into  the  foulest 
ditch  or  be  put  upon  a  gibbet  to  rot.  It  was  forbidden  in 
the  churches  to  speak  of  him  as  a  martyr. 

Decrees  are  incapable  of  influencing  the  development  of 
pubHc  opinion  ;  King  Henry  was  the  first  to  discover  this. 
Scarcely  had  he  heard  the  news,  when  a  profound  feeling 
of  repentance  for  his  imprudent  words  overcame  him  ;  he 
shut  himself  up  in  his  private  apartment,  and  during  three 
days  would  not  see  anybody  or  take  any  food.  When  he 
awoke  from  this  sullen  depression,  he  immediately  sent  an 
ambassador  to  the  Pope,  assuring  the  latter  of  his  innocence 
and  of  the  grief  v/hich  the  death  of  the  archbishop  caused 
him.  At  the  same  thne,  he  hesitated  to  punish  the 
murderers,  who  had  acted  according  to  his  suggestion,  and 
he  allowed  them  the  benefit  of  clergy,  the  crime  having 
been  committed  upon  the  person  of  a  priest.  Thus  the 
liberties  of  the  Church,  for  which  Becket  had  just  died, 
protected  his  assassins.  It  is  related  that  the  latter  were 
stricken  with  remorse  in  their  turn,  and  that  they  went  and 
threw  themselves  at  the  feet  of  the  Pope,  at  Rome,  who 
ordered  them  to  make  a  pilgrimage  to  the  Holy  Land, 
where  they  died  sincerely  penitent.  If  the  story  of  the 
repentance  of  the  murderers  is  not  well  authenticated,  that 
of  Becket's  posthumous  triumph  is  incontestable.  He  had 
not  been  buried  two  years,  and  King  Henry  had  scarcely 
obtained  forgiveness  of  the  Pope  (1172)  by  undertaking  to 
support,  during  three  years,  two  hundred  horsemen 
intended  for  the  defence  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  when 
pilgrims  were  already  proceeding  in  crowds  to  Canterbury 
Cathedral,  begging  the  protection  of  the  martyr,  canonized 
by  the  public  voice  before  being  recognized  as  a  saint  by 
the  Church.    Two  more  years  elapsed,  and  on  the  lothof 


170 


HISTORY   OF  EYGLAyn, 


[Chap.  VII. 


July,  1 1 74,  the  king  was  proceeding  barefooted  along  the 
road  leading  to  Canterbury.  Each  step  he  made  left  be- 
hind him  a  spot  of  blood  ;  he  wore  a  pilgrim's  dress,  and 
on  his  arrival  descended  into  the  crypt,  and  prostrated 
himself  before  the  tomb.  The  Bishop  of  London,  from 
the  pulpit,  assured  the  people  of  the  innocence  of  the  king, 
of  the  profound  grief  which  the  death  of  the  archbishop 
had  caused  him,  and  of  the  remorse  which  he  experienced 
for  the  fit  of  anger  which  had  caused  the  commission  of 
the  crime ;  the  king  remained  praying.  He  rose,  uncov- 
ered his  shoulders,  and,  passing  before  the  chapter,  he 
received  from  each  monk  three  strokes  from  a  knotted 
rope  ;  Henry  then  returned  to  the  tomb,  still  fasting  and 
praying.  He  passed  the  night  in  the  church,  and  the 
morning  after,  having  attended  holy  mass,  he  returned  to 
London  so  exhausted  by  the  fatigue  and  severity  of  his 
punishment  that  he  fell  ill  on  his  arrival. 

During  the  anxieties  which  Henry  experienced  while 
he  was  quarrelling  with  Becket,  he  had  not  neglected 
external  affairs,  and  a  new  kingdom  had  been  added  to  his 
vast  dominions,  a  kingdom  insecurely  held,  however,  as 
yet,  and  which  was  to  cost  England  much  blood  and 
many  errors  before  being  united  completely  to  his  crown. 
Henry  II.  had  made  the  conquest  of  Ireland. 

After  having  shone  with  some  brilliancy  in  letters  as 
well  as  in  the  history  of  religious  faith,  Ireland  had  for  some 
time  past  fallen  back  into  a  state  verging  on  barbarism. 
Originally  inhabited  by  difterent  colonies  of  the  Celtic 
race,  she  retained  institutions  analogous  to  those  of  the 
Highlands  of  Scotland.  The  clans  were  called  septs,  the 
chief  was  known  as  a  Carfinny,"  and  chose  his  successor 
or  "  Tanist  "  from  his  own  family,  without  regard  to  the 
laws  of  primogeniture;  when  the  ^'Carfinny"  died  the 
Tanist  succeeded  him  and  named  his  own  heir  presumptive. 


Chap.  VIL] 


HENRY  IL 


171 


The  same  rule  existed  in  the  four  kingdoms  of  Ulster, 
Munster,  Leinster,  and  Connaught.  Enmity  and  rivalry 
were  constant  between  these  princes  ;  of  one  hundred  and 
seventy-eight  kings  who  ruled  over  Ireland,  seventy-one 
were  killed  in  war  and  sixty  were  murdered.  In  1 169  the 
King  of  Leinster,  Dermod  MacMorogh,  having  been 
driven  from  his  possessions,  had  applied  to  Henry  II.  for 
assistance,  offering  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the 
English  king.  But  the  king  was  engrossed  in  his  relations 
with  France,  and  he  contented  himself  with  authorizing 
English  warriors  to  support  the  cause  of  Dermod  if  they 
chose.  Having  obtained  this  permission,  a  certain  number 
of  adventurers  went  over  to  Ireland  ;  the  most  notable  of 
whom  was  the  son  of  the  Earl  of  Pembroke,  Richard  de 
Clare,  called  Strongbow,  who  took  with  him  a  force  of 
three  thousand  men.  He  fought  against  Dermod's  ene- 
mies, married  that  chief's  daughter,  aud  had  just  inherited 
the  kingdom  of  his  father-in-law,  when  the  king,  annoyed 
at  his  success,  wrote  for  him,  recalling  him  to  England. 
Str-ongbow  immediately  crossed  the  sea  and  came  and 
threw  himself  at  tlie  king's  feet,  offering  to  surrender  the 
town  of  Dublin  to  him.  Henry's  anger  was  appeased,  and 
he  appointed  Strongbow  to  the  position  of  seneschal  of 
Ireland.  In  the  following  year  the  king  himself  landed  in 
his  new  dominions  with  an  army  so  numerous  that  the 
Irish  soon  made  a  nominal  submission.  Henry,  however, 
intended  not  to  act  as  a  conqueror ;  he  was  taking  posses- 
sion, he  said,  of  Ireland,  by  virtue  of  an  old  bull  of  Pope 
Adrian  which  conferred  upon  him  the  sovereignty  of  this 
new  kingdom  by  the  right  which  the  Popes  claimed  to 
exercise  over  all  the  islands  recognizing  the  Cliristian  faitli. 
The  Irish  Bishops  answered  this  appeal  by  meeting 
together  in  council.  Several  wise  measures  were  adopted 
for  the  civilization  of  the  savage  regions,  where  polygamy 


172  HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND.      [Chap.  VII. 


was  still  practised,  and  where  dead  bodies  were  not  always 
buried.  But  Henry  did  not  attempt  to  impose  the  English 
laws  upon  his  new  subjects.  That  portion  of  Ireland 
occupied  by  the  Normans  was  alone  assimilated  to  Eng- 
land ;  the  rest  of  the  country  remained  subject  to  its  old 
customs.  When  Henry  returned  from  thence  on  the  17th 
of  April,  1 173,  nominating  Hugh  de  Lacy  governor  of 
Ireland,  he  left  behind  him  territories  which  his  armies  had 
not  overrun,  and  an  undisciplined  population,  who  took 
advantage  of  his  absence  to  rebel.  The  jealousies  of  the 
Enghsh  noblemen  estabhshed  in  Ireland  still  further  com- 
plicated the  difficulties  of  the  government.  Harassed  by 
their  mutual  recriminations,  the  king  would  depose,  replace, 
or  recall  the  rivals  ;  disorder  reigned  in  all  parts,  when,  in 
1 185,  the  king,  having  obtained  from  the  Pope  the  investi- 
ture of  Ireland  for  his  son  John,  sent  the  young  prince 
there  with  his  court.  The  arrogance,  the  severity,  and  the 
follies  of  the  new  sovereign  soon  caused  fresh  insurrections. 
John  grew  alarmed  and  returned  precipitately  to  England, 
leaving  to  Sir  John  de  Courcy  the  care  of  pacifying  Ire- 
land ;  the  lieutenant  succeeded  in  this,  and,  having  become 
Earl  of  Ulster,  he  governed  the  new  kingdom  with  as 
much  firmness  as  good  sense,  until,  at  the  end  of  the  reign 
of  Henry  II.,  a  prosperous  state  of  affairs  was  inaugurated, 
to  which  Ireland  had  not  been  accustomed  under  native 
kings. 

Henry  had  begun  to  appropriate  Ireland  to  himself,  but 
without  being  able  to  give  his  personal  attention  to  that 
country.  He  was  a  prey  to  bitter  and  ever-increasing 
eml)arrassments.  The  crowning  of  his  son,  Prince  Henry, 
had  excited  in  the  young  man  an  ambitious  spirit  which 
his  father-in-law,  Louis  VII.,  constantly  encouraged.  He 
asked  for  tlie  immediate  cession  of  Normandy  or  even  of 
England,  in  order  to  be  able,  he  said,  to  maintain  his 


Chap,  VIL] 


HENRY  IL 


173 


position  and  that  of  the  queen  his  wife.  Wait  until  my 
death/'  repHed  the  king,  you  shall  have  wealth  and 
power  enough."  He  intended  to  bequeath  England  to 
Henry  as  well  as  Normandy,  Anjou,  and  Maine.  Aqui- 
taine  he  designed  for  Richard,  Brittany  for  Geoffrey,  and 
Ireland  for  John.  The  young  princes  had  even  already 
been  invested  with  these  magnificent  provinces;  but, 
encouraged  by  their  mother,  the  vindictive  Eleanor,  to 
whom  Henry  H.  had  always  been  a  good  husband,  they 
plotted  to  seize  their  inheritance  beforehand.  In  March, 
1 173,  Prince  Henry,  who  had  slept  with  his  father  at 
Chinon,  found  a  means  of  escaping  during  the  night,  and 
of  reaching  the  territory  of  the  King  of  France.  A  few 
days  afterwards,  his  two  brothers,  Richard  and  Geoffrey, 
also  escaped,  and  Queen  Eleanor  prepared  to  follow  her 
sons ;  but  she  was  captured  by  her  husband's  emissaries 
and  brought  back  to  England,  where  she  was  imprisoned 
until  King  Henry's  death. 

The  father  had  sent  to  Paris  to  ask  that  his  son  should 
be  given  up  to  him ;  the  ambassadors  found  the  young 
prince  clad  in  regal  robes,  seated  by  the  side  of  Louis  VII. 
*^We  come  from  Henry,  King  of  the  English,  Duke  of 
Normandy  and  of  Aquitaine,  Count  of  Anjou  and  of 
Maine,"  began  the  messengers.  No,"  said  the  king, 
interrupting  them,  King  Henry  is  sitting  here,  and  he 
has  commissioned  you  to  dehver  no  message.  If  you 
wish  to  speak  of  the  king  his  father,  he  is  dead  since  his 
son  wears  the  crown.  If  he  still  has  any  pretensions  to 
the  title  of  king,  I  will  soon  cure  him  of  them."  In  accord- 
ance with  these  haughty  words,  the  young  prince  caused 
a  seal  similar  to  that  of  England  to  be  made,  and  declared, 
by  letters  addressed  to  the  Pope,  to  his  brothers,  and  to 
all  the  great  noblemen  of  England  and  of  the  French 
states,  that  he  was  at  war  with  his  father  in  order  to  avenge 


174 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,     [Chap.  VII. 


the  death  of  Becket,  my  foster-father,  whose  assassins 
are  still  safe  and  sound.  I  am  unable  (he  added)  to  bear 
this  criminal  negligence,  foi  the  blood  of  the  martyr  cries 
aloud  in  my  ears.  My  father  is  incensed  against  me  ;  but 
I  do  not  fear  to  offend  him  when  the  honor  of  God  is  the 
cause."  The  Kings  of  France  and  Scotland,  the  Count  of 
Flanders,  and  a  great  number  of  English  and  Norman 
noblemen  sided  with  the  conspirators ;  King  Henry  began 
to  see  himself  abandoned  by  his  most  intimate  friends. 

He  was  a  match  for  his  four  sons.  The  King  of 
England  neither  rides  nor  sails,"  said  King  Louis,  alarmed 
by  the  rapidity  of  his  rival's  movements;  **he  is  believed  to 
be  in  England,  and  he  is  in  France;  he  is  beHeved  to  be  in 
Ireland,  and  he  is  in  England."  An  army  of  Brabantines 
had  been  raised,  and  King  Henry  II.  had  called  upon  all 
those  monarchs  who  had  sons,  to  support  him  in  his 
quarrel ;  endeavoring  to  secure  their  help  by  the  conside- 
ration of  the  disorder  which  would  reign  in  their  own 
dominions  if  their  own  children  followed  the  example  set 
by  the  English  princes.  He  had  implored  the  Pope  to 
help  him  to  defend  the  patrimony  of  St.  Peter,  as  he  called 
the  islands  of  England  and  Ireland ;  the  pontiff  replied  by 
sending  legates  to  put  an  end  to  this  unnatural  struggle ; 
but  blood  had  already  been  shed.  In  the  month  of  June, 
1 173,  the  Count  of  Flanders  had  entered  into  Normandy; 
but  his  brother,  who  was  his  heir,  having  been  killed  at 
the  first  siege,  he  retired  from  this  impious  struggle  and 
re-entered  his  states.  King  Louis  VII.  and  Prince  Henry 
were  defeated  by  the  Brabantines ;  Prince  Geoffrey  did 
not  meet  with  success  in  Brittany ;  a  conference  convoked 
at  Gisors  again  excited  their  animosity.  The  war  was 
carried  on  with  alternate  successes  and  reverses ;  the 
insurrection  had  spread  as  far  as  Aquitaine  ;  the  Scots  had 
crossed  the  frontier,  and  several  towns  of  England  were  in 


Chap.  VII.] 


HENRY  IL 


175 


the  hands  of  the  insurgents,  when,  in  the  month  of  July, 
1 1 74,  Henry  hastily  left  Normandy.  On  reaching  Eng- 
land he  proceeded  directly  to  Becket's  tomb.  It  was 
on  the  morrow  of  his  humiliation  and  repentance,  when  he 
was  already  in  his  bed,  overcome  by  fever,  that  it  was 
announced  to  him  that  an  attendant  of  Ranulph  de 
Glanville  wished  to  speak  with  him.  The  king  inquired 
whether  Ranulph,  who  was  one  of  his  intimate  friends, 
was  well.  My  lord  is  well,"  replied  the  messenger, 
and  your  enemy,  the  King  of  Scotland,  is  in  your 
hands."  The  king  trembled.  Say  that  again,"  he  said. 
The  man  tendered  some  letters  to  the  king ;  it  appeared 
that  on  the  12th  of  July  Glanville  had  surprised  the  King 
of  Scotland,  William  the  Lion,  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Alnwick,  and  had  made  a  prisoner  of  him.  This  good 
news  effected  a  cure  of  the  king's  disorder;  the  people 
again  thronged  round  his  standards.  In  a  few  days  the 
insurrection  was  quelled  in  all  parts,  and  Henry,  after  this 
triumph,  recrossed  the  sea  with  his  army  to  relieve  Rouen, 
which  was  besieged  by  the  King  of  France,  Prince  Henry, 
and  the  Count  of  Flanders.  A  battle  took  place  under 
the  walls  of  the  town,  which  was  decided  in  favor  of  the 
King  of  England ;  the  princes  were  for  the  time  reduced 
to  obedience.  Richard  resisted  for  a  greater  length  of 
time  than  his  brothers  ;  he  had  acquired  a  taste  for  warlike 
achievements,  which  were  to  become  the  passion  of  his 
life,  and  he  thought  besides  that  he  was  upholding  the 
rights  of  his  mother,  to  whom  he  was  tenderly  attached. 
But  he  yielded  at  length.  An  interval  of  peace  at  length 
allowed  Henry  IL  breathing  time  and  leisure  to  organize 
the  great  institution  which  he  wished  to  bequeath  to 
England.  It  was  in  1176  that  he  definitively  established, 
with  the  help  of  his  friend  Ranulph  de  Glanville,  the 
courts  of  justice,  where  the  assizes  were  regularly  held  for 


176 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.      [Chap.  VII. 


all  the  civil  and  criminal  business,  and  which  were  pre- 
sided over  by  itinerant  judges,  who  made  a  circuit  from 
town  to  town  to  direct  the  decisions  of  the  knights  of  the 
shire  who  then  represented  the  jury. 

Louis  VII.  was  dead.  Philip  Augustus  had  ascended 
the  throne  (i  180),  and  war  was  about  to  break  out  afresh. 
King  Henry,  who  was  now  reconciled  to  his  eldest  son, 
wished  to  compel  Richard  to  do  homage  to  his  brother  for 
the  duchy  of  Aquitaine  ;  the  prince  refused,  saying  that 
he  would  not  compromise  tlie  rights  of  his  mother.  She 
was  greatly  beloved  in  her  hereditary  dominions,  and  the 
poet  Bertrand  de  Born,  powerful  among  his  countrymen, 
and  devoted  to  Eleanor's  cause,  was  intriguing  successively 
with  whichever  of  the  three  sons  appeared  the  most 
incensed  against  his  father.  King  Henry  had  caused  a 
picture  to  be  painted  representing  four  young  eagles 
attacking  their  sire.  "  If  John  does  not  join  his  brothers," 
he  said  sadly,    it  is  because  he  is  too  young.'' 

Richard  at  length  made  peace  with  his  father,  but 
Henry  and  Geoffrey  had  raised  the  standard  of  rebellion 
in  their  turn.  They  had  invited  the  king  to  a  conference 
at  Limoges  (i  183) ;  when  he  approached  the  town  he  was 
saluted  with  a  volley- of  arrows,  of  which  one  wounded  his 
horse  in  the  neck.  "  Ah  !  Geoffrey,''  cried  the  king, 
what  has  your  unhappy  father  done  to  you  that  you 
should  thus  make  a  target  of  him  for  your  arrows  ?"  The 
prince  laughed  at  this  bitter  remonstrance.  We  cannot 
live  in  peace  amongst  ourselves,"  he  said,  without  being 
in  league  against  my  father."  His  brother  Henry  was 
disgusted  at  this  evidence  of  his  brother's  hard-hearted- 
ness,  and  joined  the  king  for  awhile ;  but  soon  after, 
having  been  again  annoyed,  he  departed  and  joined 
Geoffrey  and  the  Poitevins,  who  had  revolted,  v/hen  he 
fell  ill  at  Limoges.    In  terror,  he  sent,  begging  his  father 


Chap.  VIL] 


HENRY  11. 


177 


to  come  and  grant  his  forgiveness.  The  king  did  not 
dare  to  accede  to  the  request ;  his  friends  would  not  ahow 
him  to  venture  into  the  camp  of  his  sons,  who  had  so 
recently  attempted  his  life.  He  contented  himself  with 
sending  a  ring  by  the  Archbishop  of  Bordeaux,  assuring 
the  prince  of  his  forgiveness.  The  prelate  found  the 
young  man  dying  upon  a  bed  of  ashes,  a  prey  to  remorse 
and  despair.  He  died  pressing  to  his  lips  the  ring  which 
his  father  had  sent  to  him,  greatly  distressed  at  not  having 
received  the  benediction  upon  which  he  had  hitherto  set 
so  little  value. 

A  few  days  afterwards  Limoges  was  taken,  and  the 
instigator  of  the  insurrections,  Bertrand  de  Born,  was 
made  a  prisoner ;  he  was  brought  before  the  king  to 
receive  sentence  ;  he  said  nothing,  and  did  not  defend 
himself.  '^Bertrand,"  said  the  king,  you  pretend  that  at 
no  time  do  you  require  one-half  of  your  talents  ;  know 
that  in  this  instance  the  whole  of  them  would  avail  you 
little."  Sire,"  replied  Bertrand,  it  is  true  that  I  said 
that,  and  I  told  the  truth."  And  I  think  that  your 
talents  have  deserted  you,"  cried  Henry  angrily.  Ah  ! 
Sire,"  said  Bertrand,  my  powers  deserted  me  on  the  day 
that  the  brave  young  king,  your  son,  died;  on  that  day  I 
lost  all  my  powers."  The  king  burst  into  tears.  Ber- 
trand," he  cried,  it  is  but  right  that  my  son's  death 
should  have  unnerved  you,  for  he  was  more  attached  to 
you  than  to  anybody  else  in  the  world ;  and  I,  for  love 
of  him,  give  you  your  life,  your  goods,  and  your  castle." 

The  poet  Dante  did  not  forgive  Bertrand  de  Born,  as 

king  Henry  had  done,  for  he  placed  him  in  hell.       I  saw," 

said  he,     and  I  seem  to  see  it  still,  a  headless  trunk 

approach  us,  and  the  head  being  cut  off,  it  held  it  in  one 

hand  by  the  hair,  like  a  lantern  :  *  Know  that  I  am  Bertrand 

de  Born,  who  gave  bad  advice  to  the  young  king.'  " 
12 


178 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAJSTD,       [Chap.  VIL 


In  the  midst  of  the  general  grief  a  kind  of  union  was 
effected  between  the  father  and  his  remaining  sons,  as  well 
as  between  the  father  and  mother.  Eleanor  was  brought 
back  to  Aquitaine,  and  restored  to  liberty;  but  this  mutual 
understanding,  so  rare  in  this  royal  family,  only  lasted  for 
a  short  time  ;  Geoffrey  asked  the  king  to  grant  him  the 
countship  of  Anjou,  and  on  being  refused,  he  retired  to 
the  court  of  France :  death  awaited  him  there ;  he  was 
thrown  in  a  tournament,  and  trampled  under  foot  by  the 
horse  before  the  attendants  could  come  to  his  assistance. 

Henry  had  two  sons  remaining;  Richard,  who  was 
afterwards  called  Coeur-de-Lion,"  and  who  had  inherited 
that  majestic  countenance  which  Peter  of  Blois  attributes 
to  his  father,  whose  almost  square  face  resembled  a  lion's 
head ;  and  John  Lackland,  as  his  father  laughingly  called 
him,  who  had  not  taken  part  in  the  revolts  of  his  brothers, 
and  whom  Henry  esteemed  very  much  for  that  reason. 
Richard  had  already  shown  fresh  signs  of  insubordination. 
Eleanor  had  returned  to  her  prison  at  Winchester,  when  a 
call  from  the  East  brought  a  short  truce  to  the  hostilities 
between  France  and  England.  Jerusalem  had  just  been 
retaken  by  the  Mussulmans  (1187);  Pope  Urban  \\.  had 
died  of  grief  in  consequence.  Gregory  VHI.,  who  had 
succeeded  him,  called  the  Christians  from  the  West  to  the 
deliverance  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  and  the  Archbishop  of 
Tyre  was  preaching  in  favor  of  the  crusade.  King  Henry 
was  the  first  to  respond  to  the  appeal.  Richard  assumed 
the  cross  as  well  as  his  father.  Philip- Augustus  manifested 
the  same  desire.  A  conference  was  held  under  the  elm 
of  Gisors,  the  famous  tree  at  the  foot  of  which  many 
treaties  had  been  ratified  which  had  remained  in  force  but 
for  a  very  short  time.  The  treaty  of  peace  which  was 
there  agreed  to  in  the  name  of  the  crusade  proved  to  be 
no  more  durable  than  the  others,  and  the  King  of  France 


Chap,  VIL] 


HENRY  IL 


179 


in  his  anger  caused  the  tree  to  be  rooted  up,  saying  that 
no  more  perfidy  should  be  witnessed  under  its  branches. 
It  was  rumored  that  the  King  of  England  had  the  intention 
of  bequeathing  his  kingdom  to  his  youngest  son.  Richard 
had  another  grievance  against  his  father ;  the  latter  had 
for  some  time  been  detaining  in  a  castle  the  Princess  Alice 
of  France,  who  had  been  promised  in  marriage  to  Richard, 
and  far  from  conniving  at  the  union,  he  was  endeavoring 
to  obtain  a  divorce  from  Eleanor,  with  the  intention,  it 
was  said,  of  marrying  the  young  princess  himself  Richard 
demanded  an  explanation  from  his  father  of  these  two 
infringements  of  his  rights,  asking  for  his  father's  consent 
to  his  marriage  and  an  acknowledgment  of  himself  as  heir 
to  the  throne  of  England. 

Henry  did  not  reply ;  he  at  length  proposed  to  marry 
the  Princess  Alice  to  John  Lackland.  Richard  was  not 
infatuated  with  her,  for  he  already  dreamt  of  Berengaria 
of  Navarre  ;  but  he  looked  upon  his  father's  proposal  as 
an  indication  of  his  intentions  respecting  John.  ^'  Is  it 
really  so,"  cried  he ;  "  I  did  not  think  it  possible,  but  now, 
my  friends,  you  will  see  what  you  httle  expected."  And, 
kneehng  before  King  Philip-Augustus,  he  placed  his  hands 
in  that  monarch's,  and  at  once  did  the  latter  homage  for 
the  duchies  of  Normandy,  Brittany,  and  Aquitaine,  as 
well  as  for  the  countships  of  Poitou,  Anjou,  and  Maine, 
asking  for  assistance  in  recovering  his  rights.  Philip- 
.  Augustus  accepted  him  as  a  vassal  and  liege,  and  immedi- 
ately gave  up  to  Richard  the  castles  which  he  had  taken 
from  the  lattcr's  father. 

This  time  the  shot  had  been  sent  straight  to  the  king's 
heart.  In  vain  did  he  retire  to  Saumur,  to  recommence 
preparations  for  war :  his  energy  and  decision  had  failed 
him  ;  he  awaited  the  arrival  of  the  Pope's  legates,  who 
were  entrusted  with  the  care  of  attempting  a  reconciliation, 


i8o  HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND,      [Chap.  VII. 


and  contented  himself  with  rewarding  the  noblemen  of 
Normandy,  who  had  always  remained  true  to  him.  Wl  en 
the  legate  arrived,  King  Philip- Augustus,  who  was  too 
clever  not  to  discover  the  weariness  of  the  old  king,  insisted 
on  the  conditions  of  peace  oiTered  at  the  last  conferejice, 
asking  besides  that  John  should  accompany  his  brother  in 
the  crusade,  without  which  he  threatened  to  cause  the 
greatest  disorder  in  the  kingdom.  Henry  refused.  "  Then 
the  truce  is  at  an  end,''  said  the  King  of  France.  The 
legate  threatened  to  place  the  kingdom  under  an  interdict, 
and  to  excommunicate  Philip  and  Richard.  I  am  not 
afraid  of  your  mercenary  anathemas,"  said  Philip ;  and 
Richard,  drawing  his  sword,  cried,  I  will  kill  any  insen- 
sate who  dares  to  excommunicate  two  princes  in  a  single 
breath  !"  His  friends  restrained  his  violence  ;  the  legate 
remounted  his  mule  and  retired  in  great  haste. 

The  French  marched  towards  Le  Mans ;  the  town  was 
taken  and  pillaged.  Aquitaine,  Poitou,  and  Brittany 
revolted ;  treason  was  rife  among  the  English  barons. 
Henry  felt  that  he  was  beaten ;  he  sued  for  peace,  declar- 
ing himself  ready  to  accept  the  propositions  of  Philip  and 
of  Richard.  The  two  monarchs  met  upon  a  plain  between 
Tours  and  Azay.  Richard  was  not  present ;  while  they 
were  conferring  in  the  open  field,  and  still  on  horseback, 
the  thunder  roared  and  a  violent  storm  bi*oke  forth.  The 
nerves  of  King  Henry  had  been  shaken  by  disease  and 
trouble.  He  reeled  in  his  saddle,  and  his  servants  sustained 
him  with  difficulty.  When  he  had  recovered  his  senses, 
he  was  too  ill  to  continue  the  conference,  and  the  proposals 
for  peace  were  sent  to  his  head-quarters.  They  were  hard 
and  humiliating ;  an  indemnity  for  King  Philip,  permission 
for  his  vassals  to  do  homage  to  Richard,  the  restoration  of 
the  Princess  Alice  to  a  person  commissioned  to  deliver 
her  with  all  honor  to  her  brother,  or  her  affianced  husband, 


Chap.  VII.]  HENRY  IL  i8x 

on  the  return  from  the  crusade,  and  so  forth.  King  Henry 
II.  stretched  upon  his  couch,  hstened  in  silence.  When 
an  end  was  made  he  asked  to  see  a  Hst  of  the  barons  who 
had  pledged  themselves  to  maintain  the  cause  of  Philip 
and  Richard.  The  first  name  was  that  of  his  son  John, 
count  of  Mortagne ;  the  unhappy  father  uttered  a  cry  of 
pain.  John,  the  son  of  my  heart,"  he  exclaimed,  for 
love  of  whom  I  have  brought  upon  myself  all  these  mis- 
fortunes-— he,  too,  has  betrayed  me  !"  He  was  assured 
that  it  was  so.  "  Let  all  things  henceforth  proceed  as  they 
will,"  he  said,  I  have  no  longer  any  regard  for  myself  or 
this  world."  And  he  turned  his  face  again  to  the  wall  in 
the  bitterness  of  his  soul.  His  son  Richard  had  followed 
him,  and  leaning  towards  him  asked  for  the  kiss  of  peace 
in  ratification  of  the  treaty.  The  king  did  not  refuse  it  as 
he  had  done  before  in  the  case  of  Becket ;  but  Richard  had 
scarcely  left  the  chamber  when  the  indignant  father  mut- 
tered between  his  teeth,  May  I  live  to  avenge  myself  on 
thee  !" 

He  gave  orders  to  be  carried  to  Chinon,  oppressed  with 
a  profound- melancholy,  which  was  succeeded  by  a  violent 
fever.  In  his  fits  he  raised  himself  in  his  bed,  invoking 
the  vengeance  of  Heaven  upon  his  children.  Sliame, 
shame  upon  a  vanquished  king — a  king  dispossessed  of  his 
rights,"  he  cried ;  "  accursed  be  the  day  when  I  was  born  ; 
accursed  be  the  children  that  I  leave  behind  me !"  He 
directed  his  attendants  to  carry  him  into  the  church,  where 
he  expired  at  the  foot  of  the  altar  on  the  6th  of  July,  1 189. 
He  had  not  yet  completed  his  fifty-fifth  year,  but  his 
features  were  worn  like  those  of  an  aged  man.  When 
Richard,  stricken  with  horror  at  the  intelligence  which  he 
had  received,  hastened  to  Fontevrault,  whither  the  corpse 
of  his  father  had  been  removed  without  ceremony,  some 
one   had  surrounded  the  royal  forehead  with  a  golden 


l82 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,     [Chap.  VIII. 


fringe  in  imitation  of  a  crown,  and  it  had  been  necessary 
to  employ  hired  horses  in  order  to  convey  to  his  last 
resting-place  the  powerful  master  of  so  many  dominions. 

Richard  approached  the  coffin.  A  drop  of  blood 
appeared  under  the  nostrils  of  the  corpse,  Yes,  it  is  I 
who  have  killed  him  !"  cried  Richard,  stricken  with 
repentance.  He  fell  on  his  knees  beside  the  dead  body  of 
his  father,  remained  there  a  moment  prostrate,  then  rising, 
went  out  precipitately. 

Ten  years  later,  when  Richard  was  dying  at  the  siege 
of  Chains,  he  ordered  that  his  body  should  be  conveyed  to 
Fontevrault,  to  be  interred  at  the  feet  of  his  father. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

RICHARD    CCEUR-DE-LION. — JOHN  LACKLAND. — MAGNA 
CHARTA.     (l  189 — 1 2 16.) 

THE  first  act  of  the  new  king  was  to  deliver  from  her 
prison  his  mother,  Eleanor  of  Aquitaine,  to  whom  he 
had  always  been  tenderly  attached.  While  she  was  pre- 
siding over  the  preparations  for  the  crowning  of  her  son, 
dispensing  amnesties,  and  calling  all  free  men  to  swear 
allegiance  to  him,  Richard  arrested  Stephen  of  Tours, 
seneschal  of  Anjou  and  treasurer  to  Henry  II.,  threw  him 
into  prison,  and  did  not  restore  him  to  liberty  until  he  had 
been  put  in  possession  by  him,  not  only  of  the  treasures 
of  the  dead  king,  but  of  all  the  personal  property  of  the 
treasurer  as  well.  On  arriving  in  England,  Richard  also 
went  in  great  haste  to  Winchester,  in  order  to  secure  the 
riches  which  had  been  amassed  there  by  his  father.  The 
Jews  were  uneasy  at  seeing  the  new  sovereign  display  so 
much  avidity ;  they  had  been  accustomed  to  suffer  for  any 


Chap  VIIL]    RICHARD  CCEUR-DE-LION. 


want  of  money  on  the  part  of  kings,  and  Philip  Augustus 
had  just  set  the  example  of  confiscation,  by  driving  them 
away  from  his  kingdom  on  his  accession  (1180),  in  order 
to  seize  their  property.  Richard  contented  himself  with 
forbidding  them  to  enter  Westminster  Abbey  ;  but  some 
wealthy  Jews,  hoping  to  secure  the  favor  of  the  new  king 
by  rich  presents,  ventured  to  present  themselves  among 
the  vassals  who  brought  their  oiTerings  to  Richard.  Tiie 
gifts  were  accepted,  but,  after  the  coronation  ceremony, 
when  Richard,  having  taken  the  crown  from  the  altar,  in 
token  that  he  held  it  from  God  alone,  had  deposited  it  in 
the  hands  of  the  Arclibishop  of  Canterbury,  who  placed  it 
upon  Richard's  head,  a  noise  was  heard  proceeding  from 
the  gates  of  the  churchyard.  A  Jew  who  attempted  to 
enter  was  pushed  back ;  on  this  disturbance  being  made, 
the  other  Jews  were  driven  away,  and  then  the  popular 
vengeance  was  wreaked  upon  their  houses,  which  were  set 
a-fire.  A  great  number  of  Jews  were  killed.  The  fury 
spread  throughout  the  whole  of  the  country.  At  York, 
the  unhappy  Jews  retired  into  the  citadel,  where  the 
governor  allowed  them  to  take  refuge.  But  he  went  out 
one  day,  and  the  Jews,  fearful  of  treason,  refused  to  let 
him  re-enter.  The  fortress  was  besieged,  and  when  the 
Jews  found  themselves  about  to  be  taken,  they  set  light  to 
an  immense  wood  pile,  and  threw  themselves  upon  it  with 
all  their  riches,  after  having  themselves  slain  their  wives 
and  children.  Richard  forbade  this  persecution  of  the 
Jews,  but  did  not  cause  anybody  to  be  punished  ;  and 
this  shedding  of  the  Jews'  blood,"  says  the  old  chronicler, 
although  against  the  wish  of  the  king,  seemed  to  foretell 
that  Coeur-de-Lion  would  be  a  plague  to  the  Saviour's 
enemies." 

Richard  appeared  for  the  time  being  to  have  become 
imbued  with  the  commercial  spirit  of  these  much  despised 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,      [Chap.  VIII. 


Israelites.  He  turned  everything  into  money,  selling  the 
royal  domains  which  his  father  had  been  at  such  pains  to 
reconstitute :  bartering  away  towns,  castles,  and  even, 
sometimes,  property  which  did  not  belong  to  him.  ^'  I 
would  sell  London,  if  I  could  find  a  buyer,"  he  said.  The 
most  important  offices  in  the  kingdom  were  disposed  of  by 
auction  hke  the  domains.  Hugh  Pudsey,  bishop  of  Dur- 
ham, bought  the  county  of  Northumberland  and  the  title 
of  Chief  Justicier;  the  bishoprics  and  the  abbeys  were 
offered  to  the  highest  bidder ;  the  King  of  Scotland  was 
released  of  the  tribute  imposed  upon  him  and  his  people 
during  his  captivity,  for  the  sum  of  20,000  marks  of  silver. 
The  crusade  which  Richard  was  projecting,  and  which 
occupied  his  whole  attention,  required  considerable  sums 
of  money,  and  the  king  was  not  very  scrupulous  as  to  the 
means  he  adopted  for  obtaining  the  money  which  he 
wanted. 

Prince  John,  his  brother,  had  just  received  some  very 
large  gifts  in  Normandy  and  in  England,  but  he  was  not 
nominated  regent  of  the  kingdom  during  Richard's  absence; 
the  power  was  divided  between  Bishop  Pudsey  and 
William  Longchamp,  Bishop  of  Ely  and  Chancellor  of 
England.  Many  duties  were  entrusted  to  Queen  Eleanor, 
and,  towards  the  end  of  the  year  1 1 89,  Richard  proceeded 
to  Normandy.  He  had  promised  to  start  on  the  crusade 
at  Easter  in  1 190.  The  emissaries  of  King  Philip- Augus- 
tus met  him  at  Rouen,  and  took  oath  upon  the  soul  of  the 
king  their  master  to  a  treaty  of  alliance,  both  offensive  and 
defensive,  between  the  two  sovereigns,  —  the  King  of 
France  undertaking  to  respect  and  defend  the  rights  of  the 
King  of  England  as  he  would  his  good  city  of  Paris ;  while 
the  English  delegates  swore,  on  the  soul  of  the  King  of 
England,  to  perform  the  same  services  for  King  Philip  as 


Chap  VIII.]    RICHARD  CCEUR-DE-LION. 


185 


he  would  for  his  good  city  of  Rouen.  The  kings  of  Eng- 
land were  still,  before  all,  Dukes  of  Normandy. 

The  Queen  of  France,  Isabella  of  Hainault,  had  just  died, 
and  the  departure  for  the  crusade  was  postponed  until 
midsummer.  The  two  kings  at  length  met  on  the  plains  of 
Vezelay,  accompanied,  it  is  said,  by  a  hundred  thousand 
crusaders.  They  marched  across  the  country  together  as 
far  as  Lyons,  and  then  separated,  after  having  made  an 
appointment  to  meet  at  Messina.  Philip  marched  towards 
Genoa,  where  he  expected  to  find  those  of  his  vessels 
which  were  destined  for  foreign  service.  Richard  was 
going  to  Marseilles  ;  his  fleet  was  to  come  and  meet  him 
there.  England  was  no  longer  at  the  mercy  of  Genoese 
or  Venetian  merchants,  being  in  possession  of  a  consider- 
able number  of  vessels.  But  the  EngHsh  ships  were 
delayed  ;  they  experienced  some  mishaps  in  the  Bay  of 
Biscay  ;  some  had  sought  shelter  in  Portugal.  Richard 
became  impatient,  and  hiring  some  mercantile  barks,  he 
set  out  with  a  portion  of  his  forces,  in  order  to  arrive 
sooner  at  Messina  to  meet  the  King  of  France.  But  the 
English  ships  sailed  faster  than  the  Marseilles  barks;  when 
the  king  arrived  in  Sicily,  his  fleet  had  preceded  him. 

The  kingdom  of  Sicily  had  previously  lost  its  sove- 
reign, William  the  Good,  brother-in-law  to  King  Richard, 
and  his  cousin  Tancred,  Count  of  Lecce,  had  been  elected 
king  in  his  stead.  The  dowager  queen,  Joanna,  Richard's 
sister,  claimed  her  jointure,  which  Tancred  held  unjustly, 
as  she  said.  Scarcely  had  Richard  set  foot  in  Sicily  when, 
without  waiting  for  the  negotiations  to  be  made,  he  took 
possession  of  the  castle  and  of  the  town  of  Bagnara,  and 
established  his  sister  there,  who  had  arrived  before  him  ; 
then  returning  to  Messina,  he  drove  the  monks  from  a 
convent  which  suited  his  purposes,  and  converted  it  into  a 
barracks.    So  many  outrages  roused  the  people,  who  shut 


i86 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND,      [Chap.  VIII. 


the  gates  against  Richard's  troops.  A  conference  was 
being  held  in  the  camp  of  PhiHp-Augustus  for  adjusting 
this  difference,  when  a  fresh  quarrel  broke  out  between  the 
Sicilians  and  the  English  troops.  Richard  left  the  royal 
tent  in  great  haste,  assembled  his  men,  and  running  helter- 
skelter  among  the  citizens,  he  entered  Messina  antl  planted 
his  banner  upon  the  ramparts.  Philip- Augustus  at  once 
demanded  that  his  own  banner  should  also  be  planted 
there ;  but  Richard  consented  to  give  up  the  town  into 
the  hands  of  the  knights  templars,  pending  the  decision 
respecting  his  sister's  pretensions,  and  King  Tancred 
hastened  the  negotiations,  being  anxious  to  rid  himself  of 
so  turbulent  and  formidable  a  guest.  Queen  Joanna  ob- 
tained a  large  sum  of  money,  and  King  Richard  received 
his  share  of  it,  which  he  scattered  broadcast  amongst  the 
crusaders,  thus  finding  favor  with  the  French  as  well  as 
the  English,  the  Normans,  and  the  Aquitanians. 

Philip- Augustus,  courageous  and  bold  as  he  was  when 
necessary,  did  not  possess  in  as  great  a  degree  as  the  King 
of  England,  the  brilliant  qualities  which  then  constituted  a 
true  knight ;  he  was  more  prudent  and  cunning  than 
Richard  ;  perhaps  he  was  even  given  to  dissimulation,  for 
Tancred  accused  him  before  the  King  of  England  of  having 
endeavored  to  dissuade  him  from  negotiating  with  Richard  ; 
and  when  the  latter  came  and  complained  angrily  to 
Philip,  a  quarrel  was  about  to  break  out  between  the  two 
brothers  in  arms,  who  had  sworn  to  help  each  other  in  the 
holy  enterprise.  Richard  thereby  gained  permission, 
accorded  to  him  by  the  King  of  France,  to  marry  whoever 
lie  chose  instead  of  the  Princess  Alice,  the  sister  of  Pliilip- 
Augustus.  It  was  high  time  for  Richard  to  disengage 
himself  from  previotis  contracts,  for  Queen  Eleanor  was  to 
bring  back  to  her  son  the  Princess  Berengaria,  for 
whom  she  had  been  to  Navarre.    They  were  only  waiting 


Chap.  VIII.]    RICHARD  C(EUR-DE-LIOK 


187 


until  the  departure  of  Philip  to  celebrate  the  marriage. 
Bad  weather  had  prolonged  the  stay  of  the  King  of  France 
at  Messina  until  Lent,  and  Richard's  marriage  with  Ber- 
engaria  had  not  yet  been  solemnized  when  Philip  left 
Sicily,  on  the  30th  of  March,  1 191,  upon  his  ship  Franc- 
la-Mer,"  at  the  head  of  more  than  two  hundred  vessels. 
The  Queen  of  Sicily  took  the  young  princess  away  with 
her. 

The  weather  was  unfavorable,  and  the  fleet  was  dis- 
persed. When  King  Richard,  suffering  from  sea-sickness, 
landed  at  Rhodes,  he  was  almost  alone,  and  he  learnt  that 
the  vessel,  the  Lion,"  with  the  princesses  on  board,  had 
been  driven  ashore  on  the  coast  of  Cyprus ;  the  governor 
of  the  island,  or,  as  he  called  himself,  the  Emperor  Isaac 
Comnenus,  had  not  allowed  them  to  disembark ;  the  sailors 
who  had  ventured  to  land  had  even  been  ill-treated. 

Much  less  provocation  would  have  sufficed  to  arouse  the 
anger  and  vengeance  of  Coeur-de-Lion.  He  immediately 
left  Rhodes,  sailed  to  Cyprus,  took  possession  of  the  island, 
and  made  prisoners  of  the  emperor  and  his  daughter,  gave 
the  latter  to  Berengaria  for  an  attendant,  and  placed  Isaac 
Comnenus  in  silver  chains,  which  the  latter  wore  until  his 
death.  Richard  was  married  in  the  church  of  Limasol  on 
the  day  after  Easter,  in  order  to  set  out  immediately  for 
Acre,  the  siege  of  which  town  had  already  commenced,  in 
spite  of  the  plague,  which  was  decimating  the  army. 

The  prowess  of  King  Richard  soon  attracted  towards 
him  the  eyes  of  the  crusaders  and  of  the  Mussulmans 
themselves.  Stricken  with  the  fever,  he  would  cause  him- 
self to  be  carried  upon  a  litter  to  the  ramparts,  and  would 
there  direct  the  movements  of  the  troops.  He  distributed 
among  the  knights  the  money  taken  at  Cyprus.  The 
jealousy  of  King  PhiHp  gained  ground  day  by  day.  Ac- 
customed to  consider  himself  superior  to  the  King  of 


r88 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND, 


[Chap.  VIII. 


England,  who  was  his  vassal,  Philip  was  annoyed  at  seeing 
his  own  authority  lessened  in  consequence  of  the  prodi- 
gious valor  of  Richard,  the  king/'  as  he  was  called  every- 
where in  the  East,  in  defiance  of  the  rights  of  the  King  of 
France. 

The  French  knights  and  their  adherents  on  the  one 
hand,  the  English  knights  and  their  allies  on  the  other, 
had  vainly  endeavored  to  take  the  town  by  storm.  Saladin, 
the  sultan  of  the  Arabs,  kept  aloof,  watching  for  an  op- 
portunity to  relieve  Acre.  But  the  Christian  army 
completely  surrounded  it — as  the  eyeball  the  eye,"  say 
the  oriental  historians — so  completely,  in  fact,  that  at  the 
moment  when  the  chiefs  of  the  Christian  army,  tempo- 
rarily reconciled,  were  preparing  to  attack  the  town  in 
unison,  the  Mussulman  garrison  surrendered,  their  lives 
being  spared,  on  the  12th  of  July,  1191,  and  Saladin 
retired  into  the  interior  of  the  country.  Philip  and 
Richard  immediately  entered  Acre  at  the  head  of  their 
armies,  and  planted  their  banners  upon  the  ramparts. 
The  King  of  England  had  taken  possession  of  the  sultan's 
palace,  without  troubling  himself  to  find  a  residence  for 
PhiHp,  and  when  he  learnt  that  the  Arch-duke  of  Austria, 
Leopold,  had  set  up  his  banner  at  the  side  of  the  standard 
of  England,  he  went  and  tore  it  down  with  his  own  hands, 
and  threw  it  into  the  trenches,  indignantly  asking  how  a 
duke  could  have  any  pretensions  to  the  honors  exclusively 
reserved  for  kings.  Richard  was  destined  to  pay  dearly 
for  these  haughty  proceedings. 

Scarcely  had  the  crusaders  entered  Acre  when  King 
Philip  announced  his  intention  of  returning  to  Europe. 
In  vain  was  he  urged  to  persevere  in  tlie  holy  enterprise  ; 
in  vain  his  emissaries  who  were  entrusted  to  announce  this 
news  to  King  Richard  were  so  ashamed  of  it  that  they 
wept  and  said  nothing.    Philip  insisted  on  returning  to 


C  i^v  VIII.]    RICHARD  CGEUR-DE-LIOK  189 

France,  which  country  he  vrould  have  been  wise  not  to 
have  left  in  the  preceding  year.  Ten  thousand  French 
crusaders  remained  in  the  East,  under  the  command  of 
the  Duke  of  Burgundy.  The  King  of  France  solemnly 
swore  not  to  make  any  attempt  upon  Richard's  dominions, 
and  set  sail  on  the  31st  of  July,  leaving  the  Christian 
army  a  prey  to  the  dissensions  to  v/hich  the  succession  to 
the  throne  of  the  still  unconquered  city  of  Jerusalem  gave 
rise.  Sybil,  granddaughter  of  Godfrey  of  Bouillon,  had 
just  died,  and  her  husband,  Hugh  of  Lusignan,  was  one 
of  the  two  pretenders  to  tlie  title  of  King  of  Jerusalem, 
the  other  being  Conrad  of  Montferrat,  husband  of  Isabella, 
sister  of  Sybil.  The  King  of  France  espoused  the  cause 
of  Conrad,  and  Richard  supported  Lusignan.  It  was  in 
the  midst  of  these  differences  that  the  crusaders,  under  the 
command  of  the  King  of  England,  commenced  a  march 
across  the  desert  of  Mount  Carmel.  Exhausted  by  the 
heat,  they  were  also  harassed  by  the  Arab  horsemen,  who 
w^ere  more  embittered  than  ever  against  the  Christians, 
for  the  term  fixed  for  the  exchange  of  prisoners  having 
gone  by  without  Saladin's  having  sent  back  those  in  his 
possession,  the  King  of  England  had  caused  all  the  Mus- 
sulman prisoners  to  be  led  out  of  the  camp  and  to  be 
slaughtered  before  the  sultan's  eyes.  The  soldiers  even 
went  as  far  as  searching  the  entrails  of  their  victims  for 
any  gold  or  precious  stones  which  they  might  have  swal- 
lowed. 

A  great  battle  was  fought  at  Arsouf  on  the  7th  of  Sep- 
tember ;  King  Richard  performed  prodigies  of  valor  and 
opened  up  a  road  to  Jaffa.  Saladin  was  at  Ascalon,  when 
the  crusaders,  who  had  arrived  at  Bethany,  were  com- 
pelled to  give  up  their  intention  of  laying  siege  to  Jerusa- 
lem on  account  of  the  bad  weather.  The  sultan  at  once 
abandoned  Ascalon,  dismantling  the  ramparts,  and  thus 


HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND,     [Chap.  VIII. 


making  the  way  clear  for  Richard.  The  latter  hastened 
to  repair  the  fortifications.  In  order  to  encourage  the 
soldiers,  he  himself  carried  stones  to  the  workers,  and 
urged  the  Archduke  Leopold  to  do  likewise.  "  I  am  not 
the  son  of  a  mason,"  replied  the  Austrian,  whereupon 
Richard,  in  a  fit  of  passion,  struck  him  in  the  face.  Leo- 
pold at  once  left  the  army  and  set  out  to  return  to  his 
states,  followed  by  his  soldiers. 

In  vain  was  Ascalon  fortified ;  in  vain  did  Richard  agree 
to  confer  the  crown  of  Jerusalem  upon  Conrad  of  Mont- 
ferrat,  in  the  hope  of  re-establishing  a  mutual  understand- 
ing in  order  to  be  able  to  march  against  Jerusalem.  That 
prince  was  almost  immediately  murdered  by  two  emissaries 
of  the  Old  Man  of  the  Mountain,"  a  mysterious  sovereign, 
whose  devotees,  intoxicated  by  the  fumes  of  haschich, 
blindly  obeyed  his  orders.  This  crime  was  attributed  to 
the  King  of  England,  who  afterwards  quarrelled  with  the 
Duke  of  Burgundy,  depriving  himself  of  the  support  of 
the  French  as  he  had  previously  deprived  himself  of  that 
of  the  Austrians.  They  had  again  advanced  as  far  as 
Bethany,  and  a  band  of  crusaders  had  ascended  a  mountain 
overlooking  Jerusalem.  King  Richard  was  asked  to  come 
and  see  the  holy  city  in  the  distance.  No,"  said  he, 
covering  his  face  with  his  cloak ;  those  who  are  not 
worthy  of  conquering  Jerusalem  should  not  look  at  it." 
The  crusaders  retraced  their  steps  as  far  as  Acre. 

On  arriving  at  that  town,  Richard  suddenly  learnt  that 
Saladin  was  besieging  Jaffa.  He  embarked  at  once  and 
sailed  to  the  rescue.  The  crescent  already  shone  upon  the 
walls,  but  a  priest  who  had  cast  himself  into  the  water  in 
front  of  the  royal  vessel  told  Richard  that  he  could  yet  save 
the  garrison,  although  the  town  was  already  in  the  hands 
of  the  enemy.  The  ship  had  not  yet  reached  the  landing- 
stage,  and  already  the  king  was  in  the  water,  which 


Chap  VIIL]    RICHARD  C(EUR-DE-LION, 


reached  his  shoulders,  and  was  uttering  the  war  cry,  "  St 
George The  infidels,  who  were  busy  plundering  the 
city,  took  fright,  and  three  thousand  men  fled,  pursued  by 
four  or  five  knights  of  the  cross.  The  little  corps  of 
Christians  intrenched  themselves  behind  planks  of  wood 
and  tubs  ;  ten  tents  held  the  whole  of  the  army.  Day  had 
scarcely  dawned,  when  a  soldier  flew  to  Richard's  bedside. 

O  king !  we  are  dead  men !"  he  cried  ;     the  enemy  is 
upon  us.''    The  king  sprang  up  from  his  bed,  scarcely 
allowing  himself  time  to  buckle  on  his  armor,  and  omitting 
his  helmet  and  shield.       Silence  !"  he  said  to  the  bearer 
of  the  bad  news,  "or  I  will  kill  you."    Seventeen  knights 
had  gathered  roui^d  Coeur-de-Lion,  kneeling  on  the  ground, 
and  holding  their  lances  ;  in  their  midst  were  some  archers, 
accompanied  by  attendants  who  were  recharging  their 
arquebuses.    The  king  was  standing  in  the  midst.  The 
Saracens  endeavored  in  vain  to  overawe  this  heroic  little 
band ;   not  one  of  them  stirred.     At  length,  under  a 
shower  of  arrows,  the  knights  sprang  on  their  horses,  and 
swept  the  plain  before  them.    They  entered  Jafia  towards 
evening,  and  drove  the  Mussulmans  from  it.    From  the 
time  of  daybreak,  Richard  had  not  ceased  for  a  moment 
to  deal  out  his  blows,  and  the  skin  of  his  hand  adhered  to 
the  handle  of  his  battle-axe.    The  remembrance  of  this 
day  had  not  faded  when,  more  than  fifty  years  later,  St. 
Louis  led  the  French  troops  to  the  crusade.  Joinville 
heard  the  Saracen  mothprs  scolding  their  children  and 
threatening  them  with  Malek-Rik,  a  name  which  the  Mus- 
sulmans gave  to  King  Richard.    Such  severe  fatigue  under 
the  burning  sun  had  affected  the  health  of  Coeur-de-Lion. 
Disquieting  news  came  from  his  dominions.    He  concluded 
a  truce  with  Saladin,  giving  up  Ascalon  to  him,  but  keep- 
ing Jaffa,  Tyre,  and  the  fortresses  along  the  coast,  and 
promising  to  refrain  from  any  hostilities  during  a  period 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,      [Chap.  VIII 


of  three  ye?.rs,  three  months,  three  weeks,  three  days,  and 
three  hours.  Then  I  will  come  back,"  said  Richard, 
with  double  the  number  of  men  that  I  now  possess,  and 
will  reconquer  Jerusalem."  Saladin  smiled,  acknowledg- 
ing, however,  that  if  the  Holy  City  was  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  Christians,  no  one  was  more  worthy  of  con- 
quering it  than  Malek-Rik.  The  two  adversaries  had 
conceived  for  each  other  a  feeling  of  chivalrous  admiration 
and  esteem  which  is  the  theme  of  Sir  Walter  Scott's  novel 
*'The  Talisman."  Numerous  presents  had  been  exchanged 
by  them  during  the  war ;  and  when  Richard  was  suffering 
from  fever,  and  was  perishing  with  thirst,  he  received  each 
day  fruits  and  cooling  drinks  which  were  sent  to  him  by 
the  sultan. 

It  was  on  the  9th  of  October,  1192,  that  Richard  Coeur- 
de-Lion  left  Palestine.  Standing  upon  the  poop  of  his 
ship,  he  was  surveying  the  shore,  then  fading  from  sight. 

Oh  !  Holy  Land,"  cried  he,  I  leave  you  to  God,  as 
well  as  your  people.  May  He  help  me  to  come  back  to 
your  assistance  !"  The  English  ships  were  sailing  together, 
when  a  storm  arose  and  dispersed  them.  The  one  which 
carried  the  two  queens  arrived  in  Sicily,  but  King  Richard 
was  not  with  them,  and  no  one  knew  what  had  become  of 
him.  Driven  at  first  towards  the  island  of  Corfu,  he  had 
hired  three  small  vessels,  which  had  taken  him  to  Zara, 
whence  he  hoped  to  reach  his  nephew  Otho  of  Saxony, 
son  of  his  sister  Matilda.  He  found  himself  surrounded 
by  enemies  and  threatened  on  all  sides.  He  knew  that 
King  Philip  had  entered  into  a  league  with  John  Lackland, 
in  order  to  deprive  him  of  his  kingdom  :  the  Emperor 
Henry  had  laid  claim  to  the  throne  of  Sicily,  and  had  not 
forgiven  Richard  for  his  alliance  with  Tancred ;  Leopold 
of  Austria  had  not  abandoned  all  hope  of  revenge,  and 
everywhere  the  relations  of  Conrad  of  Montferrat  were 


Chap  VIII.]    RICHARD  CCEUR-DE-LION, 


193 


accusing  the  King  of  England  of  having  been  the  cause  of 
the  death  of  their  ally.  Richard  assumed  the  garb  of  a 
merchant  and  started  on  his  journey  through  the  mountains 
of  the  Tyrol.  He  arrived  at  Goritz  in  Carinthia,  where  he 
sent  and  asked  for  a  passport  for  Baldwin  of  Bethune,  one 
of  his  knights,  and  for  Hugh  the  merchant.  The  messen- 
ger was  instructed  at  the  same  time  to  present  the  governor 
with  a  ring  which  the  merchant  sent  him.  The  governor 
scrutinized  the  messenger.  You  are  not  speaking  the 
truth,"  cried  he.  It  is  not  a  merchant  who  sends  me 
this  ring,  but  King  Richard.  But  as  he  honors  me  with 
his  gifts  without  knowing  me,  although  I  am  the  cousin  of 
Conrad  of  Montferrat,  I  will  do  him  no  injury.  Tell  him, 
however,  to  leave  this  place  as  soon  as  possible." 

The  governor  of  Goritz  did  not  wish  to  arrest  King 
Richard,  but  he  had  not  promised  to  keep  the  secret.  He 
informed  Frederick  of  Montferrat,  Conrad's  brother,  that 
Coeur-de-Lion  was  about  to  travel  across  his  dominions. 
Recognized  by  a  Norman  knight,  the  king  was  saved  by  a 
faithful  vassal,  and  had  arrived  in  the  states  of  the  Duke 
of  Austria,  when  he  fell  ill  in  the  village  of  Erperg,  a 
short  distance  from  Vienna.  A  page  was  despatched  to 
the  capital  to  exchange  some  gold  bezants  for  current  coin 
of  the  country.  He  was  noticed  and  interrogated,  and 
being  put  under  torture  he  divulged  his  master's  name. 
Richard  was  stretched  upon  his  bed,  sleeping,  when  the 
mayor  of  Vienna  entered  his  little  apartment.  Good 
morrow.  King  of  England,"  he  said.  "  You  hide  in  vain, 
for  your  face  betrays  you." 

The  king  had  already  seized  his  sword,  protesting  that 
he  would  only  surrender  to  the  duke  himself  Leopold 
was  unwilling  to  let  any  one  else  have  the  honor  of  mak- 
ing the  capture ;  he  soon  arrived,  and  received  the  King 

of  England's  sword.       You  should  esteem  yourself  fortu- 
13 


194 


HISTOR  Y    OF  ENGLAND.     [Chap.  VIII. 


nate,  Sire,"  said  the  duke,  with  a  smile  of  revengeful 
satisfaction ;  if  you  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the 
relations  of  Conrad  of  Montferrat  you  would  have  been  a 
dead  man,  even  if  you  had  had  a  thousand  lives/'  And 
triumphantly  leading  forth  his  prisoner,  whom  he  reminded 
on  the  road  of  the  insult  which  had  been  formerly  offered 
to  the  Austrian  flag,  he  shut  Richard  up  in  the  castle  of 
Diernstein.  But  the  emperor  at  once  claimed  the  illustri- 
ous captive.  A  duke  cannot  possibly  keep  a  king  !"  he 
urged  ;  it  is  the  right  of  an  emperor."  And  Richard  was 
conducted  to  the  castle  of  Trecfels,  where  he  languished 
for  tvv^o  years. 

While  King  Richard  had  been  acquiring  glory  in 
Palestine,  without  any  signal  advantage  gained  to  the 
Christian  cause,  disorder  reigned  supreme  over  his  kingdom ; 
the  Chancellor  Longchamp  had  seized  upon  the  power, 
casting  his  fellow-bishop  of  Durham  into  prison,  and  only 
setting  him  free  at  the  price  of  all  the  dignities  which  tlie 
latter  had  bought  of  Richard.  The  chancellor  was  able 
and  devoted  to  the  king,  but  haughty,  arrogant,  despotic, 
and,  above  all,  rapacious,  as  all  powerful  men  were  at  that 
time.  If  he  had  remained  master,"  say  the  chronicles, 
he  would  not  have  left  a  belt  to  the  men,  a  bracelet  to 
the  Vv^omen,  a  ring  to  the  knights,  or  a  jewel  to  the  Jews." 
But  scarcely  had  King  Richard  arrived  in  Palestine  when 
Prince  John  unmasked  himself  Having  raised  an  army 
against  the  chancellor,  he  claimed  the  supreme  authority 
on  the  ground  of  his  being  heir  presumptive  to  the  crown, 
resolutely  refusing  to  recognize  the  rights  of  Arthur  of 
Brittany,  son  of  Geoffrey,  whom  Richard  had  repeatedly 
nominated  as  his  successor.  Badly  supported  by  the 
barons,  Longchamp  was  beaten,  and  compelled  to  agree  to 
a  truce.  By  means  of  intrigue  and  concessions,  John  first 
of  all  caused  himself  to  be  recognized  by  the  regent  and 


Chap.  VIIL]    RICHARD  CCEUR-DE-LION. 


195 


the  council  as  heir  to  the  throne,  then  obtained  the  deposi- 
tion of  the  chancellor,  and  saw  himself  r^tised  to  tlie 
dignity  of  Governor- General  of  the  kingdom.  It  was  on 
the  9th  of  October,  1191,  while  King  Richard  was  fortil},-- 
ing  the  town  of  Jaffa,  after  the  victory  of  Ascalon.  The 
new  regent  offered  to  allow  Longchamp  to  keep  his  diocese 
of  Ely,  and  have  the  governorship  of  three  royal  castles. 

No,"  said  the  deposed  chancellor,  will  not  willingly 
give  up  any  of  my  master's  rights ;  but  you  are  stronger 
than  I,  and  chancellor  and  chief  justicier  as  I  am,  I  yield 
to  superior  power.'*  He  consigned  the  keys  of  the  Tower 
to  Prince  John,  and  made  preparation  for  leaving  England. 
No  doubt  he  knew  the  prince  too  well  not  to  fear  some 
treachery,  for  he  disguised  himself  as  a  travelling  trades- 
woman, and,  accompanied  by  a  large  number  of  boxes,  he 
waited  near  Dover  for  the  ship  which  was  to  carry  him  to 
France.  The  vessel  was  delayed ;  some  fishermen's 
wives,  passing  along  the  beach,  asked  if  they  might  look 
at  his  goods ;  but  the  Chancellor  of  England  did  not 
understand  English,  but  only  spoke  Norman,  and  therefore 
could  not  answer;  the  women,  being  impatient,  declared 
that  the  owner  of  the  boxes  must  be  a  mad  woman,  and 
raised  her  veil.  They  started  back  at  seeing  a  man's  face 
underneath  it.  The  fishermen  rushed  to  the  spot ;  and, 
suspecting  some  sinister  purpose  in  the  disguise,  they  sub- 
jected Longchamp  to  ill-treatment  until  the  officers  of  the 
guard  came,  tore  him  from  their  grasp,  and  took  him  to 
prison.  The  Chancellor  had  much  difficulty  in  getting 
free  again,  and  in  obtaining  permission  to  proceed  to 
France.  The  Archbishop  of  Rouen  was  created  chancel- 
lor and  chief  justicier  in  his  stead. 

It  was  in  the  month  of  October,  1192,  when  King 
Richard  was  just  setting  sail  from  Acre,  that  rumors  of  his 
approaching  return  were  spread  throughout  Europe  ;  but 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND,     [Chap.  VIII. 


in  vain  did  days,  weeks,  months  elapse.  The  champion 
of  the  Cross,  Coeur-de-Lion,  had  disappeared,  and  his 
fate  remained  shrouded  in  mystery,  when,  at  the  beginning 
of  the  year  1193,  a  letter  from  the  Emp:^ror  Henry  VI.  to 
the  King  of  France,  discovered  by  accident,  revealed  the 
fact  of  Richard's  incarceration  in  Austria.  "  The  enemy  of 
the  Empire  and  the  disturber  of  France,"  said  the  Empe- 
ror, is  imprisoned  in  a  castle  in  the  Tyrol,  and  watched 
day  and  night  by  faithful  guards  with  naked  swords." 
The  exact  whereabouts  of  the  castle  remained  a  secret. 

The  effect  of  this  news  in  Europe  was  wonderful  ;  Rich- 
ard's reputation  had  caused  people  to  forget  his  pride  and 
avarice.  Prince  John  was  as  proud  and  as  avaricious  as  his 
brother,  without  the  fitful  generosity  and  brilliant  valor 
which  in  Richard  comipensated  for  so  many  faults:  the  clergy 
remembered  the  great  deeds  performed  for  the  deliverance 
of  the  Holy  Sepulchre ;  all  the  noblemen  and  knights 
were  disgusted  at  the  treachery  which  kept  a  king  and  a 
crusader  in  an  unknown  prison ;  the  Pope  excommunicated 
the  Archduke  Leopold,  and  threatened  the  Emperor  with 
the  same  penalty ;  Prince  John  and  the  King  of  France 
alone  rejoiced  at  the  powerless  state  in  which  their  enemy 
found  himself  The  prince  hastened  to  Paris  to  do  hom- 
age to  Philip  for  all  the  dominions  which  the  King  of 
England  held  upon  the  Continent ;  and  then,  rccrossing 
the  Channel,  he  commenced  preparations  for  raising  an 
army,  to  enable  him  to  dispute  his  brother's  claim  to  the 
crown  ;  but  already  the  barons  and  prelates  who  remained 
faithful  to  Richard  had  unfurled  the  royal  standard  ;  the 
hired  soldiers  gathered  together  by  John  were  repulsed, 
and  the  feeble  usurper  was  compelled  to  consent  to  an 
armistice.  His  ally  of  France  had  been  unsuccessful  at 
Rouen,  which  was  defended  by  the  Earl  of  Essex,  who  had 


Chap.  VIIL]    RICHARD  COSUR-DE-LIOK  197 


recently  arrived  from  Palestine.  Philip  had  been  com- 
pelled to  quit  that  town. 

The  ex- Chancellor  Longchamp  had  at  length  discovered 
the  king's  prison,  and  had  gone  to  see  him.  He  managed 
to  induce  the  emperor  to  convoke  the  Diet  of  the  Empire 
at  Hagenau,  in  order  to  hear  the  charges  against  Richard. 
The  King  of  England  appeared  before  the  princes  there 
assembled,  and  cleared  himself  easily  of  the  accusations 
brought  against  him.  The  emperor  consented  to  deliver 
him  up  for  a  ransom  ;  the  sum  fixed  was  a  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand  marks  of  silver.  The  king's  fetters  were 
removed,  and  he  was  led  back  to  his  prison,  there  to 
remain  until  the  united  efforts  of  his  people  should  raise 
the  required  sum  of  money.  My  brother  John  will 
never  gain  a  kingdom  by  his  valor  !"  Coeur-de-Lion  had 
disdainfully  declared  on  hearing  of  that  prince's  treachery. 
But  John  could  plot,  and,  supported  by  Philip  Augustus, 
he  contributed  greatly  towards  postponing  the  deliverance 
of  his  brother.  Richard  was  still  languishing  in  prison  at 
the  beginning  of  the  year  11 94,  lamenting  his  fate  in  Pro- 
vengal  ballads,  which  may  be  translated  thus : — 

Now  know  ye  well,  my  barons,  people,  all, 
English  and  Norman,  Gascon  and  Poitevin, 
That  for  no  money  would  I  leave  in  thrall 
The  poorest  of  my  comrades  thus  to  pine. 
Reproach  I  made  not  nor  desire  withal, 
Though  now  two  winters  here. 

The  period  of  his  captivity  was  at  length,  however,  draw- 
ing to  an  end ;  in  vain  did  Philip- Augustus  and  Prince 
John  propose  to  the  Emperor  Henry  a  much  larger  sum 
than  Richard's  ransom  if  he  would  still  keep  the  latter  in 
prison.  The  princes  of  the  Empire  opposed  the  offer 
indignantly,  and  when  the  first  half  of  the  ransom  arrived, 
in  the  month  of  P^cbruary,  1194,  the  king  was  at  length 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,     [Chap.  VIII. 


restored  to  liberty.  He  landed  at  Sandwich  on  the  13th 
of  March,  to  the  great  dehght  of  his  subjects.  Prince 
John  had  taken  refuge  in  Normandy,  and  the  other  traitors 
had  disappeared.  Richard  seized  upon  several  castles, 
deprived  several  rebels  of  their  offices,  and  sold  them  to 
the  highest  bidder ;  then,  levying  another  tax  upon  a 
country  exhausted  by  war  and  by  the  payment  of  the 
royal  ransom,  he  hastened  to  France,  to  punish  her  king 
for  the  injuries  inflicted  upon  him  by  that  monarch.  On 
disembarking  Richard  was  met  by  his  brother,  who 
reckoned  upon  the  intercession  of  his  mother  to  obtain  the 
forgiveness  of  the  sovereign  whom  he  had  so  cruelly 
wronged.  I  forgive  him,"  said  Richard  ;  and  I  hope 
that  I  shall  forget  his  misdeeds  as  completely  as  he  will 
forget  my  forgiveness."  He  refused,  however,  to  reinstate 
John  in  his  land  and  castles. 

War  was  still  raging  between  the  two  monarchs,  with 
variable  success.  Richard  was  enabled  to  wreak  his 
vengeance  upon  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais,  who  had  formerly 
been  entrusted  with  missions  from  Philip  to  the  Emperor 
of  Germany.  That  prelate,  having  been  made  a  prisoner 
during  a  battle,  by  Merchadec,  chief  of  the  Brabantines  in 
Richard's  service,  was  imprisoned  in  the  castle  of  Rouen. 
In  vain  did  he  implore  the  intervention  of  Pope  Celestine 
III.  in  his  favor ;  the  King  of  England  sent  the  armor, 
stained  with  the  bishop's  blood,  to  the  Pontiff,  with  this 
quotation  from  Scripture  :  See  whether  it  is  your  son's 
garment."  The  Pope  laughed.  It  is  the  coat  of  a  son 
of  Mars,"  said  he,  'Met  Mars  undertake  to  deliver  him;" 
and  the  bishop  remained  in  prison  until  the  death  of  King 
Richard. 

So  many  struggles  were  necessarily  burdensome;  from 
sea  to  sea  England  was  ruined,"  say  the  chroniclers.  A 
citizen  of  London,  William  Eilz-Osoert,  better  known  by 


Chap  VIII.]    RICHARD  CCEUR- DE-LION. 


199 


his  title  of  Longbeard,"  constituted  himself  the  champion 
of  the  poor,  endeavoring,  first  of  all,  by  interceding  with 
the  king  to  obtain  a  lessening  of  the  burdens  which  were 
crushing  them.  .  The  king  wanted  money.  Longbeard 
achieved  no  result ;  and  came  back  to  England,  where  he 
organized  a  secret  association.  He  began  a  series  of 
public  orations,  causing  dangerous  riots  in  London,  where 
he  was  looked  upon  by  the  people  as  their  king  and 
saviour.  The  authorities  endeavored  to  arrest  him,  but 
he  took  refuge  in  the  church  of  St.  Mary  of  the  Arches, 
with  a  fev\^  supporters,  where  he  defended  himself  until  the 
building  being  set  afire  he  was  obliged  to  leave  it ;  he  was 
wounded,  captured  and  dragged  to  Smithfield,  where  he 
was  hanged.  Tlie  people  had  done  nothing  to  rescue 
him;  but  it  was  found  necessary  to  punish  the  fanatics  who 
came  by  night  to  scrape  up  the  earth  at  the  foot  of  his 
gibbet,  to  be  preserved  as  relics. 

King  Richard  had  defeated  Philip- Augustus  at  the  gates 
of  Gisors.  Whilst  making  his  escape,  the  King  of  France 
had  almost  been  drowned  in  the  river.  I  made  him 
drink  the  water  of  the  Epte,"  Richard  wrote  triumphantly. 
But  the  day  was  approaching  which  was  to  see  the  end  of 
so  many  heroic,  but  fruitless  struggles ;  it  was  rumored  in 
Normandy  that  an  arrow  was  being  fashioned  in  Limousin, 
which  was  destined  to  kill  a  tyrant.  The  King  of  England 
learnt  that  his  vassal,  the  Viscount  of  Limoges,  had  dis- 
covered a  treasure.  He  at  once  sent  to  claim  it  of  the 
Viscount,  w^ho  sent  him  one-half  of  his  treasure  trove  upon 
a  mule.  Gold  treasure  belongs  to  the  liege-lord  ;  silver 
is  divided,"  said  the  Viscount.  But  Richard  wanted  the 
whole  ;  he  marched  against  the  castle  of  Chains,  where  he 
expected  to  find  the  treasure,  and  laid  siege  to  the  place. 
It  was  w^cll  defended,  but  provisions  had  run  short ;  the 
garrison  wished  to  capitulate.       No,"  said  Richard,  I 


200  HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND.     [Chap.  VIII. 


will  take  your  place  by  storm,  and  cause  you  all  to  be 
hanged  on  the  walls."  The  defenders  of  the  town  were  in 
despair ;  the  king  and  Merchadec  were  examining  the 
point  of  attack,  when  a  young  archer,  Bertrand  de  Gour- 
don,  pulled  his  bow,  and,  praying  to  God  to  direct  the 
arrow,  aimed  it  at  the  king ;  the  latter  was  struck  on  the 
left  shoulder.  The  town,  however,  was  taken  by  assault, 
and  all  the  garrison  were  hanged.  The  king  sent  for 
Gourdon.  He  was  dying,  for  an  unskilful  surgeon  had 
broken  the  arrow,  and  left  the  steel  portion  in  the  wound. 

Wretch  said  he  to  the  archer,  what  had  I  done  to 
you  that  you  should  have  attempted  my  life  You 
have  put  my  father  and  two  brothers  to  death,"  said 
Bertrand,  and  you  wanted  to  hang  me."  I  forgive 
you,"  cried  Richard;  "let  his  chains  be  removed,  and  let 
him  receive  one  hundred  shillings."  Merchadec  took  no 
heed  of  the  royal  pardon,  but  caused  Bertrand  de  Gour- 
don to  be  flayed  alive.  Gourdon's  children  fled  to  Scot- 
land, and  became,  it  is  said,  the  founders  of  the  illustrious 
family  of  the  Gordons.  Richard  died  on  the  6th  of  April, 
1 199.  Scarcely  had  he  breathed  his  last,  when  his  sister 
Joanna,  whom  he  had  married  to  the  Count  of  Toulouse, 
arrived  at  the  camp  before  Chains,  to  solicit  help  for  her 
husband  in  his  dispute  with  the  court  of  Rome,  in  the 
matter  of  the  Albigenscs.  She  was  informed  of  the  death 
of  her  brother,  and  the  shock  caused  her  to  give  birth  to  a 
child  prematurely.  The  child  was  stillborn,  and  the 
mother  died  in  delivering  it.  She  was  buried  with  her 
brother  at  Fontevraud,  at  the  foot  of  the  grave  of  Henry  II. 

The  period  of  chivalric  enterprises  in  England  had  gone 
by,  and  that  of  humiliation  and  decay  was  commencing. 
The  reign,  however,  of  John  Lackland,  the  most  cowardly 
and  treacherous  of  the  sovereigns  who  have  sat  on  the 
throne  of  England,  is  one  of  the  most  important  epochs  in 


Chap.  VIII.] 


MAGNA  CHART  A, 


20I 


history,  for  from  that  time  dates  the  active  part  played  by 
the  nation  in  its  own  affairs — the  time  of  Magna  Charta, 
the  germ  and  foundation  of  all  English  liberty. 

John  was  well  known  by  the  people  whom  he  aspired 
to  govern,  and  was  universally  detested.  Scarcely 
had  the  rumor  of  the  death  of  King  Richard  spread 
through  France,  when  all  the  nobility  of  Brittany,  Tou- 
raine,  Anjou,  and  Maine  declared  themselves  in  favor  of 
Prince  Arthur,  son  of  Geoffrey  Plantagenet  and  of  Con- 
stance of  Brittany,  born  seven  months  after  his  father's 
death,  whom  Richard  had  repeatedly  nominated  as  his 
successor.  Under  the  influence  of  Eleanor,  Aquitaine 
and  Poitou  recognized  John  as  their  liege-lord :  he  was  in 
Normandy,  and  caused  himself  to  be  proclaimed  at  Rouen 
on  the  25th  of  April.  lie  had  already  sent  the  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury  back  to  England,  to  bring  together 
all  the  barons,  and  to  make  them  swear  allegiance  to  John, 
Duke  of  Normandy,  son  of  King  Henry,  son  of  the  Em- 
press Matilda.  The  repugnance  felt  towards  him  was  very 
general,  but  the  fear  of  anarchy  decided  several  noblemen 
in  favor  of  John  ;  promises  and  presents  influenced  others, 
and,  on  the  25th  of  May,  1199,  when  John  arrived  in 
England,  the  greater  number  of  the  barons  had  become 
reconciled  to  his  cause.  The  nev/  king  was  crowned  on 
the  27th  of  May  at  Westminster,  the  primate  proclaiming 
aloud  that  the  crown  of  England  was  not  an  inheritance 
descending  by  right  of  primogeniture,  but  that  it  belonged 
to  the  worthiest  claimant.  The  worthiest  claimant  on  this 
occasion  was  Prince  John. 

There  had  been  no  question  raised  about  the  rights  of 
Arthur;  but  Philip-Augustus  was  too  shrewd  not  to  seize 
this  pretext  for  renewing  the  war  against  John,  whom  he 
knew  to  be  a  coward,  a  sluggard,  and  a  sovereign  unpopu- 
lar in  his  kingdom ;  he  claimed,  therefore,  in  the  name  of 


2 02  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.     [Chap.  VIIT. 


the  young  prince,  whose  mother  had  placed  him  under  the 
royal  protection,  nearly  all  King  John's  continental 
domains.  Hostilities  recomm.enced,  and  Brittany  was 
ravaged  both  by  its  enemies  and  friends ;  but  the  King  of 
France  was  engaged  in  a  serious  dispute  with  the  Pope  • 
his  kingdom  had  just  been  placed  under  an  interdict ;  he 
concluded  peace  with  John,  sacrificing,  without  remorse, 
the  interests  of  Arthur,  who  found  himself  completely 
disinherited  through  the  mutual  understanding  between 
his  uncle  and  the  King  of  France. 

Meanwhile  John  had  started  out  for  Aquitaine,  there  to 
receive  the  homage  of  his  subjects.  He  met,  at  one  of  the 
fites  which  were  celebrated,  Isabel,  daughter  of  the  Count 
of  Angouleme  and  wife  of  the  Count  of  Marche ;  she  was 
remarkably  beautiful,  and  as  ambitious  as  she  was  beauti- 
ful. Her  beauty  attracted  the  king,  and  the  ambition  of 
the  countess  prompting  her,  she  abandoned  her  husband 
to  marry  John  Lackland,  who  himself  had  been  married 
for  ten  years  to  the  daughter  of  the  Earl  of  Gloucester. 
An  insurrection  soon  broke  out  in  Aquitaine  ;  it  was 
insignificant  at  first,  but  at  the  beginning  of  the  year  1202 
Philip-Augustus,  delivered  from  his  quarrels  with  Pope 
Innocent  III.,  stirred  the  flame  of  the  rebellion  in  the 
southern  provinces,  organized  an  insurrection  in  Brittany, 
and  suddenly  took  up  Arthur's  cause  again,  who  had 
recently  lost  his  mother.  You  are  aware  of  your  rights," 
he  said  to  the  young  prince,  do  you  wish  to  become 
king  Decidedly  I  do,"  said  Arthur.       Very  well 

then,"  said  Philip,  there  are  two  hundred  knights,  take 
them  and  march  against  your  own  provinces  whilst  I  enter 
into  Normandy."  The  Bretons  rallied  round  their  young 
duke,  Avho  advanced  with  his  little  army  against  the  town 
of  Mirebeau  in  Poitou,  where  his  grandmother  Eleanor 
was  staying,  whom  his  mother  had  taught  him  to  hate. 


Chap.  VIII.]         MAGNA  CHART  A. 


203 


He  hoped,  by  capturing  her,  to  obtain  better  conditions 
from  his  uncle;  but  the  old  queen  defended  herself  valiant- 
ly, and  held  the  castle  sufficiently  long  to  allow  her  son  to 
come  to  her  assistance.  A  nobleman  of  the  country 
delivered  up  the  town  to  him  on  the  night  of  the  31st  of 
July,  1202,  on  King  John's  promising  not  to  do  any  harm 
to  his  nephew.  All  the  noblemen  who  supported  the 
young  duke,  amongst  whom  w\as  the  Count  of  Marche, 
were  made  prisoners,  and  Prince  Arthur  himself  was 
imprisoned  in  the  Castle  of  Falaise,  whence  he  was  trans- 
ported a  short  time  afterwards  to  Rouen.  There  all  trace 
of  him  is  lost  in  history,  and  no  information  concerning 
him  exists  except  vague  and  contradictory  tradition.  The 
most  probable  story  relates  that  the  king  arrived  by  night 
with  his  esquire,  Peter  of  Maulac,  to  see  the  unfortunate 
young  prince  in  his  dungeon,  and  that  he  took  the  latter 
with  him  in  a  little  boat  upon  the  Seine.  The  young  man 
was  in  fear,  and  begged  his  uncle  to  spare  his  life ;  but 
John  made  a  sign  and  De  Maulac,  after  plunging  his  dagger 
into  the  prisoner's  heart,  threv/  his  body  overboard  ;  but 
it  is  also  said  that  De  Maulac  conceived  a  horror  of  the 
crime  beforehand  and  refused  to  commit  it,  and  that  the 
king  himself  struck  the  fatal  blow.  It  was  on  the  3rd  of 
April,  1203.  Rumors  of  the  murder  spread  throughout 
France  and  England,  adding  fresh  indignation  to  the 
hatred  which  John  already  inspired.  The  Bretons  pro- 
claimed Alice  of  Thouars,  daughter  of  the  Duchess  Con- 
stance by  her  third  husband,  instead  of  Prince  Arthur's 
sister,  Eleanor,  the  Pearl  of  Brittany,  who  was  in  the 
power  of  her  uncle,  and  was  shut  up  by  him  in  a  convent 
at  Bristol.  The  appeal  of  the  Bretons  to  the  liegc-lord 
was  listened  to  by  Philip-Augustus  ;  he  summoned  John, 
Duke  of  Normandy,  to  appear  in  Paris  to  be  judged  by 
his  peers.    Queen  Eleanor  had  retired  to  P^ontevraud, 


204  HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND.     [Chap.  VIII. 


where  she  had  taken  the  veil,  overcome,  it  is  said,  with 
despair  in  consequence  of  her  son's  crime. 

John  had  not  answered  PhiHp's  summons  :  he  was  at 
Rouen,  occupied  with  the  festivities,  while  the  King  of 
France  liad  entered  Poitou,  supported  by  the  nobihty, 
who  had  generally  revolted  in  his  favor,  and  was  marching 
from  there  into  Normandy.  The  Bretons  had  commenced 
the  attack,  and  were  advancing,  pillaging  the  country. 
Many  Normans  joined  them,  so  great  was  the  horror 
inspired  by  the  murder  of  Prince  Arthur.  The  people 
had  also  organized  an  insurrection  in  Anjou  and  Maine, 
and  Philip  had  taken  possession  of  all  the  towns  on  his 
way  when  he  effected  a  junction  with  the  Bretons  at  Caen. 

Let  them  go  where  they  please,"  John  would  say  in  the 
midst  of  his  revels,  I  will  take  back  in  one  day  all  that 
they  have  acquired  with  so  much  trouble."  But  the 
French  army  having  appeared  at  Rodepont,  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Rouen,  the  King  of  England  fled  in  great 
haste  and  recrossed  the  Channel  in  the  month  of  Decem- 
ber, 1203,  in  order  to  seek  for  succor. 

The  English  reinforcements  did  not  arrive ;  Rouen  had 
defended  itself  valiantly ;  but  the  citizens  had  at  length 
yielded  in  consequence  of  a  famine ;  Verneuil  had  just 
been  taken  ;  Castle  Gaillard,  fortified  by  Richard  Cceur-de- 
Lion,  capitulated  after  a  siege  of  seven  months.  The  garri- 
son had  defended  tower  after  tower ;  there  no  longer 
remained  a  single  French  knight,  when  the  French  soldiers 
at  length  destroyed  the  last  portion  of  the  ramparts. 
John  had  not  lifted  a  finger  to  defend  his  dominions,  and 
the  King  of  France  was  regaining  possession  of  his  duchy 
of  Normandy,  which  had  been  separated  from  his  domin- 
ions for  two  hundred  and  ninety-two  years.  Brittany, 
Touraine,  Anjou,  Maine,  and  Poitou  slipped  from  the 
grasp  of  the  King  of  England  ;  Aquitaine  alone  remained 


Chap.  VIII.]  MAGNA  CHARTA. 


205 


to  him.  King  Philip,  who  was  now  satisfied,  allowed 
himself  to  be  persuaded  by  a  legate  sent  by  the  Pope  and 
concluded  a  truce  of  two  years'  duration  with  King  John, 
which  was  to  commence  in  the  m.onth  of  December,  1 206. 

The  arms  of  his  temporal  enemies  had  triumphed. 
John  Lackland  was  about  to  bring  down  upon  himself  the 
spiritual  thunders ;  a  conflict  had  arisen  between  the  king 
and  the  chapter  of  Canterbury  about  the  election  of  an 
archbishop.  The  Pope  settled  the  question  by  nominating 
Cardinal  Stephen  Langton,  who  was  then  at  Rome,  and 
whose  merit  was  known  to  the  pontiff.  The  monks  of 
Canterbury  recognized  him,  and  John  caused  them  to  be 
driven  from  their  cloisters  by  two  knights,  sword  in  hand. 
The  Pope  instructed  the  three  bishops  to  pronounce  an 
interdict  in  England,  authorizing  at  the  same  time  the 
English  barons,  who  were,  he  knew,  secretly  discontented, 
to  aid  him  in  snatching  their  country  from  ruin.  The 
bishops  pronounced  the  terrible  sentence,  and  at  once  left 
King  John's  dominions.  The  barons  did  not  dare  to 
.rebel;  the  king  had  taken  possession  of  a  large  number  of 
children  of  the  noblest  families  as  hostages.  He  had  sent 
Peter  of  Maulac  to  demand  the  sons  of  William  of  Braose, 
Lord  of  Bramber  in  Sussex.  By  my  faith,"  said  the 
lady  of  the  castle,  he  did  not  take  such  care  of  his  nephew 
that  I  should  trust  my  children  to  him."  Peter  of  Maulac 
made  prisoners  of  the  lady  and  her  children,  who  died  of 
hunger  in  their  prison  ;  Lord  Bramber  died  of  grief  in 
consequence. 

The  interdict  had  lasted  one  year ;  the  churches  were 
closed.  No  more  bell-ringing,  no  religious  services,  no 
marriages,  no  prayers  over  the  graves ;  the  baptism  of 
newly  born  children  and  the  administration  of  extreme 
unction  were  the  only  concessions  made  by  the  Church. 
In  1209,  the  Pope  sent  a  bull  of  excommunication  against 


206 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.    [Chap.  Vill. 


the  king ;  the  blow  was  foreseen,  and  the  approaches  were 
so  zealously  guarded  that  the  papal  missive  could  not  gain 
admission ;  but  John  knew  that  a  sentence  of  deposition 
would  follow  that  of  excommunication ;  and  this  proceed- 
ing, although  unproductive  of  practical  results  in  itself, 
assumed  a  terrible  degree  of  importance  when  it  was 
known  that  King  Philip- Augustus  was  ready  to  carry  it 
mto  execution.  It  is  related  that  at  this  time  John,  in 
despair  at  his  struggle  against  the  Church,  conceived  the 
idea  of  begging  the  assistance  of  the  Mussulmans,  and  that 
he  sent  an  embassy  to  the  Emir  El-Hassiz  in  Spain,  pro- 
posing to  embrace  the  religion  of  Islamism  and  to  become 
the  vassal  of  the  Emir,  if  the  latter  would  cross  the  Pyre- 
nees, enter  into  France,  and  thus  draw  off  the  forces  of 
King  Philip.  The  Emir  listened  gravely,  only  giving 
vague  answers.  When  the  emissaries  had  retired,  the 
Mussulman  called  back  one  of  them,  a  priest.  ^'Tell  me," 
he  asked  him,  "in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  from  whom  you 
expect  your  salvation,  what  kind  of  man  your  king  really 
is."  "He  is  a  tyrant  who  will  soon  feel  the  effects  of  his 
subjects'  anger,"  replied  the  monk ;  and  the  Emir  refused 
all  King  John's  offers. 

In  spite  of  the  Pope's  discontent  and  John's  terror 
thereat,  the  latter  had  carried  on  successfully  some  expe- 
ditions against  the  insurgents  in  Ireland  and  Wales,  when, 
in  12 13,  Innocent  III.  at  length  proclaimed  his  deposition, 
absolving  all  his  vassals  from  their  oath  of  allegiance,  and 
making  an  appeal  to  all  Christian  princes  to  dethrone  an 
impious  tyrant.  Stephen  Langton  was  sent  to  King  Philip 
to  promise  forgiveness  of  all  the  latter's  sins  if  he  would 
carry  out  the  sentence  of  the  Holy  See.  The  French  army 
was  already  being  formed  ;  King  John  had  obtained  a  signal 
success  over  his  adversary's  fleet,  and  he  was  at  Dover 
surrounded  by  an  army  of  sixtv  thousand  men,  ready  to 


Chap.  VIII.]  MAGNA  CHARTA, 


207 


encounter  the  invaders  if  their  sovereign  would  lead  them ; 
but  John  was  afraid  of  his  subjects,  mistrusting  their 
fidehty  ;  and  he  shrank  as  usual  from  giving  battle  to  the 
enemy.  The  Pope's  legate,  Pandulph,  came  and  met  him 
at  Dover.  He  represented  to  the  king  in  the  most  terrible 
colors  the  strength  of  the  French  army,  the  discontent 
of  the  barons,  and  the  anger  of  the  exiles;  the  Httle 
courage  that  remained  to  the  degenerate  Plantagenet 
faded  away  from  his  heart.  He  was,  besides,  pursued  by 
the  recollection  of  a  prediction  of  Peter  the  Hermit  of 
Wakefield,  which  ran  :  Before  the  day  of  the  Ascension 
the  king  will  have  lost  his  crown."  John  resolved  rather 
to  drag  it  through  the  mire  than  to  relax  his  hold  of  it. 

The  legate  was  a  skilful  diplomatist ;  before  making 
public  the  result  of  his  negotiations  with  the  king,  he 
demanded  that  all  the  exiled  priests  should  be  allowed  to 
return  with  Langton  at  their  head  ;  and  he  also  exacted 
an  assurance  that  the  clergy  and  laity  would  be  indemnified 
for  the  losses  which  they  had  sustained  through  the 
interdict.  The  king  signed  this  agreement  on  the  13th  of 
May,  1 213,  and  four  barons  affixed  their  seals  to  it.  On 
the  14th  John  was  engaged  all  day  in  private  conference 
with  the  legate. 

On  the  morning  of  the  15  th  of  May  the  king  rose  early 
and  went  to  the  church  of  the  Templars  at  Dover  ;  a  great 
crowd  had  already  assembled  there,  and  John,  kneeling 
and  clasping  the  hand  of  the  legate  in  his  own,  swore  in  a 
loud  clear  voice  an  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  Holy  See.  At 
the  same  time  he  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  pontiffs 
ambassador  a  document  declaring  that  he,  John,  king  of 
England  and  Ireland,  in  expiation  of  his  sins  against  God 
and  the  Holy  Church,  without  being  constrained  thereto 
by  force  or  by  the  fear  of  the  interdict,  but  of  his  own  free 
will  and  with  the  consent  of  his  barons,  ceded  to  the  Holy 


2o8 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.    [Chap.  VIII. 


Pope  Innocent  and  to  his  heirs  and  successors  forever,  the 
kingdom  of  England  and  dependency  of  Ireland,  to  be 
held  by  himself  John  and  by  his  successors  as  a  fief  of  the 
Holy  Church,  by  paying  an  annual  sum  of  a  thousand 
marks  of  silver.  At  the  same  time  the  king  offered  a  purse 
as  an  earnest  of  his  submission.  Pandulph  threw  it  on  the 
ground,  trampling  the  money  disdainfully  under  foot,  but 
he  accepted  the  crown  which  John  had  relinquished,  and 
for  five  days  it  remained  in  his  keeping.  The  feast  of  the 
Ascension  had  passed, — the  king  caused  the  Hermit  of 
Wakefield  to  be  tied  to  the  tail  of  an  untamed  horse  as  a 
punisliment  for  his  predictions ;  but  the  people  maintained 
that  Peter  had  not  been  mistaken,  because  King  John 
himself  gave  up  Iiis  crown. 

Scarcely  had  the  legate  accomplished  his  mission  in 
England  Vv^hen  he  recrossed  the  sea  to  Philip's  cam.p  at 
Boulogne,  announcing  to  the  latter  that  the  states  of  his 
enemy  would  for  the  future  form  part  of  the  dominions  of 
St.  Peter,  and  that  the  King  of  France  no  longer  had 
permission  to  invade  them.  But,"  said  Philip,  I  have 
spent  enormous  sums  of  money  in  the  preparations  for 
war  at  the  Pope's  bidding,  and  on  his  having  granted 
remission  of  my  sins."  He  resolved  to  carry  on  the 
expedition,  and  was  preparing  to  set  sail,  when  a  quarrel 
with  the  Count  of  Flanders  caused  him  to  turn  his  arms 
in  that  direction.  The  English  fleet  came  to  the  assistance 
of  the  Count,  and  gained  a  brilliant  victory  over  the  vessels 
of  Philip,  who,  finding  himself  deprived  of  the  means  of 
transport  and  revictualling,  was  obliged  to  renounce,  for 
the  time  being,  his  expedition  against  England. 

John  had  called  all  his  subjects  to  arms  ;  but  when  the 
barons  met  him  at  Portsmouth  they  refused  to  embark  in 
the  ships  until  the  king  had  allowed  the  exiles  whom  he 
had  called  back  to  re-enter  the  country.    Langton  was 


Chap.  VIII.]  MAGNA  CHART  A, 


209 


hateful  in  the  eyes  of  John,  who  looked  upon  him  as  the 
cause  of  the  first  dispute  with  Rome  ;  but  he  was  obliged 
to  yield,  and  the  archbishop  and  the  monks  of  Canterbury 
once  more  set  foot  on  English  soil ;  the  kiss  of  peace  was 
exchanged,  and  John  embarked,  reckoning  on  the  support 
of  the  barons.  He  arrived  at  Jersey,  but  the  noblemen 
had  not  followed  him,  pleading  that  the  period  of  their 
service  was  at  an  end,  and  they  met  at  St.  Alban's  under 
the  presidency  of  Chief-Justicier  Fitz-Piers,  a  man  of  low 
origin,  whose  marriage  with  the  Countess  of  Essex  had 
placed  him  in  a  position  which  he  maintained  by  reason 
of  his  ability.  They  had  already  published  a  series  of 
royal  declarations  demanding  the  observance  of  the  old 
laws,  when  John,  furious  at  the  desertion  of  his  vassals, 
returned,  pillaging  and  burning  down  everything  on  his 
way.  The  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  came  to  him.  You 
are  not  fulfilling  your  oath,  Sire,  said  he;  *'your  vassals 
should  be  judged  by  their  peers,  and  not  coerced  by  arms." 
**  Pay  attention  to  your  Church,"  cried  the  king  angrily, 
and  leave  me  to  govern  the  kingdom."  Langton 
threatened  to  excommunicate  all  the  agents  of  the  royal 
vengeance,  and  John  ended  by  summoning  the  barons  to 
appear  before  him. 

Langton,  on  the  other  hand,  had  convoked  them  at 
London.  When  the  king  entered  the  audience  chamber, 
the  cardinal  held  in  his  hand  a  parchment  document.  It 
was  the  charter  of  King  Henry  I.;  this  was  neither  the  first 
nor  the  last  charter  which  England  received  since  the 
Conquest.  William  the  Conqueror,  in  1071,  liad  guaranteed 
to  his  barons,  by  a  charter,  the  performance  of  a  contract 
entered  into  between  them,  promising  to  reform  the  abuses 
which  had  been  pointed  out  to  him,  and  securing  to  the 
Saxons  the  maintenance  of  the  laws  of  Edward  the  Con- 
fessor,   In  1 10 1,  King  Henry  I.  had  lately  been  proclaimed 


21  ^ 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.     [Chap.  VIII. 


King  of  England  ;  the  Duke  Robert  was  claiming  the 
throne  by  virtue  of  his  seniority.  In  order  to  secure  the 
support  of  the  Norman,  as  well  as  the  Saxon  barons, 
Flenry  had  convoked  in  London  a  general  assem.bly  and 
signed  a  fresh  charter,  almost  similar  to  his  brother's.  It 
w^as  this  document  which  Archbishop  Langton  had  found, 
and  which  he  was  bringing  to  the  barons  assembled  in 
London,  like  their  ancestors,  not,  as  of  old,  to  receive  a 
charter,  but  to  force  one  upon  the  king. 

King  Stephen  had  also  made  the  same  promises,  endov/- 
ing  the  Church  likewise  with  a  charter  setting  forth  its 
rights.  Finally,  Henry  II.,  in  1154,  had  renewed  the 
charters  of  King  Stephen,  and  had  caused  a  cop)^  of  the 
document  to  be  deposited  in  all  the  churches  ;  there  is  one 
of  tliem  remaining  now.  Coeur-de-Lion  did  not  sign  any 
charter,  but  that  of  John  Lackland  was  destined  to  be 
glorious  and  powerful  for  ever  afterwards  under  the  title  of 
Magna  Charta.  The  barons  swore  to  observe  the  injunc- 
tions of  Henry  I.'s  charter,  which  had  been  presented  to 
them  by  Langton,  to  remain  faithful  to  one  another,  and 
to  secure  their  liberties  or  to  die  defending  them.  This 
was  on  the  25th  of  August,  12 13. 

The  Pope  had  abandoned  the  cause  of  English  liberty 
on  receiving  homage  from  King  John  ;  the  interdict  had 
been  raised,  and  the  hostile  forces  of  King  Philip  were 
gathering  in  all  directions.  The  Emperor  of  Germany, 
the  Count  of  Flanders,  and  the  Count  of  Boulogne  called 
the  King  of  England  to  their  aid.  John  sent  William 
Longsword,  earl  of  Salisbury,  his  half-brother,  to  the  camp 
of  the  alUes,  and  marched  in  person  against  Brittany,  but 
he  did  not  come  to  blows  with  the  heir  to  the  throne  of 
France,  Prince  Louis,  who  had  been  sent  forward  by  his 
father,  on  the  27th  of  July,  while  the  latter  was  waging 
war  against  the  confederates  at  Bouvines.    On  the  19th 


Chap.  VI 11.] 


AIAGlYA  CHART  A. 


211 


of  October,  John  signed  a  five  years'  truce,  and  returned 
to  England  furious,  humiliated,  and  resolved  to  revenge 
himself  upon  his  English  subjects  for  all  the  reverses  of 
fortune  which  he  had  suffered  on  the  Continent.  Fitz- 
Piers,  whom  John  feared  and  detested,  was  dead.  The 
king  burst  into  laughter  on  learning  this  news.  God's 
teeth  !"  he  cried  ;  this  is  the  first  time  that  I  have  felt 
myself  king  and  sovereign  of  England."  But  Langton  was 
the  real  chief  of  the  conspiracy  ;  the  support  which  the 
Pope  lent  to  King  John  had  not  for  a  single  moment 
shaken  the  fidelity  of  the  archbishop  to  the  cause  of  the 
barons  :  they  again  met,  on  the  20th  of  November,  at 
Bury  St.  Edmund's,  and,  placing  their  hands  upon  the 
altar,  they  swore  one  after  another,  that  if  the  king  refused 
to  grant  the  just  rights  which  they  claimed,  they  would 
withhold  their  allegiance,  and  wage  war  against  him  until 
he  should  have  granted  their  demands  by  a  charter  sealed 
with  the  royal  seal. 

Christmas-day  arrived ;  the  king  found  himself  alone  at 
Worcester,  his  barons  not  having  presented  themselves  to 
do  homage  to  him.  John  retired  in  great  haste  to  London, 
and  took  refuge  in  the  fortress  of  the  Templars.  The 
barons  followed  him  there  this  time  in  larger  numbers  than 
he  cared  for,  and  on  the  day  of  the  Epiphany  they 
haughtily  presented  their  requests  to  him.  John  eyed  the 
faces  which  surrounded  him,  and  which  bore  an  inflexible 
and  resolute  expression,  both  in  the  case  of  the  priests  and 
the  warriors.  He  turned  pale.  Give  me  until  Easter  to 
reflect  upon  all  this,"  he  said.  Before  consenting,  the 
barons  stipulated  that  Cardinal  Langton,  the  Bishop  of  Ely, 
and  the  Earl  of  Pembroke  should  become  sureties  that  the 
king  would  satisfy  their  claims  upon  the  day  mentioned 
by  him.  They  knew  the  value  of  John  Lackland's  pro- 
mises.   Scarcely  had  they  left,  when  he  threw  himself 


212 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,     [Chap.  VIII 


under  the  protection  of  the  Church,  renouncing  all  the 
prerogatives  of  the  throne  in  the  choice  of  ecclesiastical 
dignitaries,  and  begging  the  assistance  of  the  Pope,  who 
wrote  to  Langton,  but  with  no  result.  At  length,  John 
formally  assumed  the  cross,  on  the  2nd  of  February,  hop- 
ing thus  to  avoid  fulfilling  his  promises  to  the  English 
barons.    He  did  not  yet  fully  understand  his  subjects. 

On  Easter-day,  the  confederates  had  met  together  in 
large  numbers  at  Stamford  ;  they  sent  a  deputation  to  the 
king,  who  was  at  Oxford.  When  Langton  read  aloud  the 
claims  of  the  barons,  John  angrily  exclaimed,  And  why 
do  they  not  also  ask  for  my  crown  ?  By  God's  teeth  !  I 
will  not  grant  liberties  which  would  make  a  slave  of  me.'* 
The  Pope's  legate,  who  was  there,  maintained  that  Lang- 
ton ought  to  excommunicate  the  confederates.  The 
intentions  of  the  Holy  Father  have  been  misunderstood," 
said  the  archbishop  calmly ;  if  the  mercenary  followers 
of  the  king  do  not  soon  leave  the  kingdom,  whose  ruin 
they  are  accomplishing,  it  is  they  whom  I  will  excommuni- 
cate." The  barons  then  styled  themselves  the  army  of 
God  and  of  the  Holy  Church,  and,  placing  Robert  Fitz- 
Walter  at  their  head,  they  marched  against  Northampton 
Castle.  The  resistance  there  was  so  actively  carried  on 
that  the  siege  had  to  be  raised,  and  the  barons  advanced 
towards  Bedford.  The  position  of  affairs  at  this  time  was 
critical,  and  it  was  imperatively  necessary  to  know  whether 
the  citizens  of  the  towns  would  support  the  noble  insur- 
rectionists. Bedford  opened  its  gates,  and  the  confederates 
took  the  road  to  London  ;  they  arrived  there  on  the 
morning  of  the  24th  of  May.  The  people  received  them 
joyfully,  and  good  order  was  maintained  in  the  Army  of 
the  FToly  Church.  The  barons  issued  a  proclamation,  call- 
ing under  their  banners  all  the  knights  who  had  hitherto 
remained  aloof  from  the  contest.    The  king  found  himself 


Chap.  VITI.]  MAGNA  CHARTA. 


213 


unsupported,  all  the  nobility  of  the  kingdom  having  risen 
against  him.  He  yielded  therefore,  at  least  for  a  time,  to 
urgent  necessity;  he  sent  the  Earl  of  Pembroke  to  the 
barons  assembled  in  London  to  assure  them  that  he  was 
quite  ready  to  grant  the  privileges  and  liberties  which  they 
claimed,  and  asking  on  what  day  and  at  what  place  tlicy 
would  arrange  matters  with  him.  On  the  15th  of  June, 
at  Runnymede,"  replied  the  barons. 

On  the  15th  of  June  all  the  noblemen  of  England  were 
there.  It  is  not  necessary  to  name  them,"  says  the 
chronicle,  for  they  consisted  of  all  the  nobility  of  the 
country.''  Fitz-Walter  was  at  their  head  ;  the  king  was 
accompanied  by  the  legate,  by  the  Grand- Master  of  the 
Templars,  by  eight  bishops  brought  by  Langton,  and  by 
twelve  barons,  of  whom  the  Earl  of  Pembroke  was  the 
chief  The  king's  followers,  with  the  exception  of  the 
legate  and  the  Templar,  were  as  devoted  to  the  liberties 
of  England  as  the  confederate  noblemen. 

John  did  not  put  in  any  claim  or  make  any  objection ; 
with  an  amount  of  alacrity,  which  must  have  appeared 
suspicious  to  far-seeing  observers,  he  signed  the  charter 
which  was  presented  to  him,  and  the  great  seal  was  affixed 
to  it.  The  first  real  token  of  English  liberty  had  been 
acquired  ;  the  first  stone  of  the  noble  edifice  of  the  Con- 
stitution was  laid  ;  the  conditions  were  well  defined  ;  and 
the  rights  and  interests  of  the  clergy  as  well  as  those  of 
the  feudal  nobility  and  of  the  merchants  and  citizens  who 
had  supported  the  barons  in  their  enterprise  were  carefully 
provided  for.  Effectual  guarantees  were  secured ;  the 
necessity  for  causing  persons  who  were  arrested  or  punished 
to  be  tried  first  of  all  in  a  court  of  justice,  the  establishment 
of  regular  assizes,  the  maintenance  of  the  integrity  of 
justice,  all  formed  part  of  the  fundamental  rights  claimed 
by  the  barons,  who  also  required  the  disbanding  of  the 


214 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.    [Chap.  VIII. 


mercenary  troops,  and  the  formation  of  a  committee  of 
twenty-five  members  entrusted  with  the  task  of  seeing  to 
the  fulfilment  of  all  the  clauses  of  the  compacts,  the  non- 
fulfilment  of  which  gave  the  barons  the  right  of  waging 
war  with  the  king  until  their  grievances  should  be  com- 
pletely redressed.  During  two  months  the  barons  were 
to  retain  possession  of  the  city  of  London. 

All  these  precautions  were  powerless,  however,  against 
treachery  ;  scarcely  had  the  triumphant  confederates  left 
Runnymede  when  King  John  flew  into  a  terrible  passion, 
rolling  on  the  ground  and  cursing  the  traitors  who  had 
dared  to  reduce  him  to  slavery.  The  mercenary  troops, 
whom  he  was  obliged,  according  to  Magna  Charta,  to 
disband,  encouraged  him  in  his  anger  and  his  plans  for 
revenge.  John  called  fresh  reinforcements  to  his  aid. 
After  the  treaties  had  been  violated  war  broke  out;  the 
barons  prepared  for  it ;  a  tournament,  which  had  been 
announced,  vv^as  decided  to  be  held  nearer  to  London,  and 
several  gatherings  had  already  taken  place  when  the 
thunderbolt  which  John  had  invoked  fell  upon  the  heads 
of  the  English  nobility.  The  Pope  declared  Magna 
Charta  to  be  void,  holding  that  it  was  illegitimate,  having 
been  obtained  by  force,  and  he  commanded  Langton  to 
dissolve  any  confederation  under  pain  of  being  excommu- 
nicated. The  archbishop  set  out  for  Rome,  in  order  to 
obtain  a  revocation  of  this  sentence,  and  the  war  commenced 
in  England  with  the  siege  of  Rochester.  The  place  was 
defended  by  D'Albiney,  a  member  of  the  council  of  the 
twenty-five.  After  a  resistance,  which  lasted  during  two 
months,  the  garrison,  having  come  to  the  end  of  their 
resources,  at  length  opened  the  gates.  John  desired  to 
hang  the  brave  defenders  of  the  town ;  the  chief  of  his 
free  bands,  Sauvery  of  Mauleon,  surnamed  the  Bloody, 
opposed  his  determination.       The  war  is  only  beginning. 


Chap.  VIII.]  MAGNA  CHART  A.  215 

Sire/'  said  he,  ''if  you  commence  by  hanging  your  barons, 
your  barons  will  end  by  hanging  us.''  The  knights'  lives 
were  spared,  and  the  men-at-arms  only  were  executed. 

Langton  had  failed  in  his  mission  at  Rome,  and  had 
been  deposed  from  his  see ;  the  barons  were  excommuni- 
cated, and  the  city  of  London  placed  under  an  interdict, 
but  the  confederates  took  no  notice  of  the  two  sentences. 

The  Pope  had  been  misguided,"  they  said,  and  had 
meddled  in  the  temporal  affairs  of  England,  which  do  not 
concern  him,  as  the  spiritual  domain  alone  belongs  to  St. 
Peter  and  his  successors." 

John  however   had  become  possessed   of  two  large 
armies  of  mercenary  troops  of  Brabantines  and  of  free- 
lances, who  willingly  executed  the  sanguinary  orders  of 
their  chief;  one  corps  was  sent  to  pursue  their  work  of 
ravaging  the  counties  of  the  East  and  the  Centre,  the 
other  marched  towards  the  North  under  the  command  of 
the  king,  repulsed  into  Scotland  the  young  King  Alex- 
ander, who  had  crossed  the  frontier  to  lend  his  aid  to  the 
barons,  and  burnt  down  and  desolated  the  buildings  in 
York,  Northumberland,  -and   Cumberland.  Everywhere 
the  barons,  in  retiring,  would  lay  waste  their  houses  and 
fields;   everywhere   the   king  burnt  down  whatever  he 
found  standing;  but  he  was  still  advancing,  while  the  con- 
federates were  retreating.    They  at  length  found  them- 
selves shut  up  in  the  city  of  London ;  alftheir  castles  had 
fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  tyrant,  who  had  made  a 
present  of  them  to  his  followers,  to  Satan's  guards,  as  the 
people  called  them.    The  families  of  the  confederates  were 
at  the  mercy  of  King  John.    The  barons  resolved  upon 
their  course  of  action,  a  bitter  one,  that  of  seeking  aid 
abroad,  and    accordingly  sent  a  deputation  to  Philip- 
Augustus,  proposing  to  give  the  crown  of  England  to  his 
son  Prince  Louis,  if  he  would  come  to  their  help  with  an 


2l6 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.     [Chap.  VIII. 


army.  His  arrival,  it  was  thought,  would  immediately 
thin  the  ranks  of  King  John's  supporters,  for  they  were 
mostly  Frenchmen,  and  would  be  unwilling  to  fight 
against  their  own  countrymen. 

Philip-Augustus  only  wanted  a  pretext  to  meddle  in  the 
affairs  of  England.  He  agreed  to  the  proposals  of  the 
barons,  not,  however,  without  requiring  hostages  as  a 
guarantee  of  good  faith ;  and  in  spite  of  threats  from  the 
Pope,  who  forbade  either  the  father  or  the  son  to  invade 
a  fief  of  the  Holy  Church,  Prince  Louis  set  sail  in  the 
month  of  July  with  a  large  army,  raised  chiefly  through 
the  personal  efforts  of  his  w^ife,  Blanche  of  Castile,  a  niece 
of  King  John,  in  whose  name  Louis  put  forth  his  claim  to 
the  crown  of  England.  John's  fears  did  not  wait  for  the 
landing  of  the  French  troops ;  he  had  left  Dover,  and  had 
repaired  to  Bristol,  where  the  legate  awaited  him.  Prince 
Louis  landed  at  Sandwich,  and,  almost  without  striking  a 
blow,  he  marched  to  London,  v/hich  city  he  entered  on 
the  2nd  of  June,  1216.  The  entire  population  came  to 
meet  him,  and,  after  having  offered  up  a  prayer  to  St. 
Paul,  he  received  homage  from  the  barons  and  citizens, 
promising  to  govern  them  according  to  their  laws,  to 
protect  their  rights,  and  to  restore  their  property  to  them. 
The  satisfaction  was  universal :  the  counties  surrounding 
London  submitted  willingly  to  Prince  Louis  ;  the  oppressed 
inhabitants  of  the  North  revolted.  A  large  number  of 
John's  mercenary  troops  deserted  him,  to  return  to  their 
homes  or  to  rally  round  the  standard  of  France ;  the 
nobility  who  had  become  reconciled  to  the  king,  in  the 
presence  of  the  reverses  sustained  by  the  national  cause, 
abandoned  him  to  join  their  old  friends ;  and,  lastly.  Pope 
Innocent  HI.  was  just  dead  (i6th  July),  and  hence  the 
powerful  support  of  Rome  was  taken  from  him.  John 


Chap.  VIIL]  MAGNA  CHART  A. 


217 


had  only  the  fortresses  defended  by  his  partisans  remain- 
ing to  him. 

Meanwhile,  Prince  Louis  was  stopped  at  Dover  Castle, 
and  the  English  barons  at  Windsor  Castle.  In  vain  did 
they  attack  the  massive  walls  with  a  machine  which  came 
from  France,  and  Vvdiich  was  called  the  Malvoisine." 
Hubert  de  Burgh  held  his  ground  firmly  at  Dover,  and 
the  siege  of  Windsor  had  been  raised ;  the  confederates 
had  hoped  to  surprise  the  king  at  Cambridge ;  but  John 
had  eluded  them,  and  had  proceeded  to  Lincoln,  of  which 
city  he  took  possession.  The  prospects  of  the  confedera- 
tion were  not  flourishing ;  the  reinforcements,  which  had 
been  sent  from  France,  were  checked  by  the  English 
sailors  wlio  remained  faithful  to  King  John.  Prince  Louis 
displayed  little  activity,  and  treated  his  English  allies  in  a 
haughty  manner.  He  had  already  presented  several 
estates  to  the  noblemen  who  had  accompanied  him  from 
France  ;  one  of  them,  the  Viscount  of  Melun,  was  dead ; 
and  lie  liad,  it  was  said,  confessed,  when  dying,  that  the 
intention  of  tl:e  French  people,  when  their  prince  should 
be  on  the  throne,  was  to  treat  the  English  like  men  who 
had  shown  themselves  untrustworthy  by  reason  of  their 
treachery  to  their  sovereign.  Distrust  and  discord  had 
entered  into  the  allied  camps ;  several  barons  opened 
negotiations  with  King  John.  The  latter's  position  was 
ameliorating;  he  had  just  left  Wisbeach,  and  desired  to 
proceed  to  Cross- Keys,  on  the  south  of  the  Wash,  when, 
on  arriving  at  the  ford,  he  beheld  the  rising  tide  suddenly 
engulf  the  long  line  of  wagons  which  were  carrying  his 
l^^y'S'^^g^t  his  treasures,  and  liis  provisions.  The  troops 
had  already  crossed  the  river,  and  were  in  safety,  but  the 
king  became  furious  at  witnessing  such  an  irreparable 
loss;  he  arrived,  exhausted  with  rage,  at  the  convent  of 
the  Cistercian  monks  at  Swineshcad.    No  event,  however 


2l8 


HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND.     [Chap.  VIII. 


dreadful,  troubled  King  John  while  at  table  ;  he  ate  some 
peaches  and  drank  some  new  ale — so  immoderately  in 
fact,  that  he  fell  ill  on  the  morrow,  and,  thinking  that  he 
was  poisoned  by  the  monks,  he  caused  himself  to  be  taken 
to  Newark.  Death,  the  only  enemy  that  John  could  not 
escape  from,  awaited  him  there.  He  sent  for  a  priest, 
nominated  his  son  Henry  as  his  successor,  and  dictated  a 
letter  to  the  new  Pope,  Honorius,  to  recommend  his 
children  to  the  care  of  the  Holy  Church.  The  remem- 
brance of  his  crimes  did  not  seem  to  trouble  him  on  his 
death-bed  ;  perhaps  he  held  himself  absolved  from  all  his 
sins  by  his  allegiance  to  tfie  Holy  See.  I  commit  my 
soul  to  God  and  my  body  to  St.  VVulstan,"  he  said.  He 
then  expired  on  the  i8th  of  October,  1216.  He  vvas 
buried  at  Worcester,  in  the  church  of  Saint  Wulstan. 
Death  had  at  length  delivered  England  of  the  cowardly 
and  faithless  tyrant  whom  she  had  for  a  long  while  sub- 
mitted to,  then  vanquished,  and  against  whom  the  country 
was  still  struggling  in  defence  of  Magna  Charta,  which, 
after  the  lapse  of  more  than  six  centuries,  remains  the 
basis  of  English  liberties. 


KING  AND  BARONS. — HENRY    III.     (l2l6 — 1272.) 


ING  JOHN  was  buried  when  his  young  son  was 


Jl  \^  crowned  at  Gloucester,  on  the  28th  of  October, 
1 2 16,  by  the  Pope's  legate.  He  was  ten  years  of  age  at 
the  time,  and  his  feeble  hands  confirmed  without  resistance 
the  gift  which  his  father  had  made  to  Rome  of  the  king- 
dom of  England.  It  was  the  vassal  of  the  Churcli,  who  in 
the  month  of  November,  12 16,  was  confided  to  the  care 


CHAPTER  IX. 


Chap.  IX.]    KING  AND  BARONS.— HENRY  III.  219 


of  the  Earl  of  Pembroke,  the  most  formidable  of  tlic 
barons  who  had  remained  faithful  to  King  John,  by  reason 
of  his  orderly  and  prudent  character,  for  he  was  as 
devoted  to  the  liberties  of  his  country  as  the  barons  who 
had  mustered  round  the  banner  of  Prince  Louis.  He  was 
nominated  Protector  of  the  kingdom  and  of  the  king, 
and  his  first  care  was  to  make  a  revision  of  Magna  Charta; 
he  eliminated  the  temporary  articles  ;  confirmed  a  great 
number  of  clauses ;  others  remained  pending  until  the 
raising  of  a  more  numerous  army  ;  and  the  earl  directed 
all  his  efforts  against  the  French  prince  and  his  foreign 
adherents.  The  favors  and  good  graces  of  the  Protector 
drew  to  him  all  the  barons  who  were  deserting  the  French 
prince,  and  they  were  becoming  every  day  more  numerous. 
Their  enmity  had  died  out  at  the  death  of  King  John  ;  the 
child  who  had  just  been  crowned  was  their  legitimate 
sovereign,  descended  from  the  kings  whom  they  had 
loved  and  served.  Louis  saw  his  army  rapidly  decreas- 
ing ;  in  consequence  of  the  vigorous  resistance  of  Hubert 
de  Burgh,  he  had  been  unable  to  obtain  possession 
of  Dover  Castle,  which  he  had  been  besieging  for  some 
time.  In  vain  had  they  endeavored  to  seduce  him  from 
his  duty,  by  urging  that  the  king  to  whom  he  had 
sworn  allegiance  was  dead.  The  king  has  left  chil- 
dren," he  answered,  and  Louis  raised  the  siege  to 
return  to  London,  which  still  remained  true  to  him.  An 
armistice  soon  allowed  him  to  go  to  France  to  collect 
reinforcements ;  but,  in  his  absence,  the  insolence  of 
Enguerrand  of  Coucy.  whom  he  had  left  at  the  head  of 
affairs,  was  spreading  discontent,  and  the  forces  of  the 
national  party  sprang  up  so  rapidly  that  the  prince, 
attacked  on  the  sea  by  the  sailors  of  the  Cinque  Ports, 
found  some  difficulty  in  returning  to  luigland.  An  army 
corps  under  the  command  of  the  Count  of  Perche  was 


220 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  IX. 


defeated  by  the  Protector  in  the  very  streets  of  Lincohi, 
and  the  anathemas  of  Rome  began  to  pour  down  upon 
Prince  Louis  and  his  adherents,  who  w^ere  excommuni- 
cated in  a  mass. 

Louis  was  shut  up  in  London,  surrounded  by  his  ene- 
mies ;  he  asked  for  help  from  France,  but  his  father, 
Phihp- Augustus,  would  not  become  concerned  in  a  quarrel 
with  the  Pope,  and  did  not  dare  to  act  openly  in  his  son's 
favor.  It  was  Louis's  wife,  Blanche  of  Castile,  v/ho  suc- 
ceeded in  raising  considerable  forces,  wliich  she  sent  to 
him  under  the  care  of  a  chief  of  adventurers  named 
Eustace  the  Monk,  because  he  had  escaped  from  his 
monastery.  The  French  fleet  met  Hubert  de  Burgh  on 
the  high  seas.  The  struggle  began.  Eustace  the  Monk 
was  defeated,  and  afterwards  beheaded  on  tlie  poop  of  his 
vessel.  Hubert  de  Burgh  returned  triumphantly  to  Dover 
with  his  prizes. 

This  jast  check  was  the  death-blow  of  Louis's  cause  in 
England.  On  the  nth  of  September,  12 17,  a  treaty  of 
peace  was  signed  at  Lambeth,  granting  easy  conditions  to 
the  French  prince,  and  a  full  pardon  to  his  English 
adherents.  The  Protector  had  no  other  desire  than  to  put 
an  end  to  the  struggle  and  to  see  England  delivered  from 
the  foreigners  ;  in  spite  of  its  prolonged  resistance  the  city 
of  London  even  obtained  a  confirmation  of  its  privileges. 
Louis  set  sail  in  the  middle  of  September,  and  his  more 
distinguished  partisans  were  kindly  received  at  King 
Henry's  court ;  Magna  Charta  was  again  confirmed,  not, 
however,  without  some  modifications  favorable  to  the 
royal  prerogative  ;  the  clauses  relating  to  the  protection 
of  the  forests  were  included  in  a  special  charter  called 
the  Forest  Charter,"  which  rendered  less  severe  the 
Norman  legislation  as  to  hunting  and  the  edicts  which 
related  to  it.    The  wisdom  and  moderation  of  Pembroke 


Chap.  IX.]    KING  AND  BARONS.— HENRY  IIL  221 


prevailed  in  the  councils  ;  the  Queen-mother,  Isabel,  had 
fled  from  England  in  the  midst  of  the  confusion,  and  her 
first  husband,  the  Count  of  Marche,  had  just  been  solemnly 
remarried  to  her ;  the  legate  remained  with  the  young 
prince,  and  was  instructed  by  the  Pope  to  look  after  the 
interests  of  the  vassal  of  the  Church  as  well  as  those  of  the 
Suzerain  mistress  of  England.  Order  seemed  to  have 
been  re-established,  when  the  Protector  died  (May,  12 19), 
and  the  power  which  was  afterwards  divided  between 
Hubert  de  Burgh  and  Pierre  des  Roches,  bishop  of 
Winchester,  became  a  bone  of  contention  to  the  rivals 
and  the  barons  attached  to  either  party.  Plabits  of 
insubordination,  which  had  been  developed  during  the 
long  struggle  against  arbitrary  power,  had  borne  their 
fruit.  England  was  rent  asunder  by  internal  quarrels 
which  it  w^as  not  even  hoped  would  end  on  the  king's 
attaining  his  majority,  for  Henry  III.  grew  up  without 
becoming  a  man.  Absorbed  in  the  love  of  luxury  and 
pageantry,  in  the  songs  of  minstrels  and  the  masterpieces 
of  the  sculptors  or  of  the  artists  with  whom  he  loved  to 
surround  himself,  he  appeared  to  take  no  interest  in  his 
affairs,  and  displayed  no  war-like  inclinations,  but  left  the 
barons  to  quarrel  among  themselves  and  the  Italian  priests 
to  devour  the  substance  of  his  kingdom,  without  manifest- 
ing any  desire  to  find  a  remedy.  P^ ranee  was  suffering 
from  the  evils  of  a  minority.  Louis  VII.,  who  had  suc- 
ceeded Philip- Augustus  in  1223,  had  reigned  but  a  short 
time,  and  Louis  IX.  was  not  sixteen  years  of  age  when,  in 
1230,  the  King  of  England,  who  was  of  age  two  years  be- 
fore, made  a  raid  on  Brittany  at  the  instigation  of  some 
noblemen  of  Normandy,  Brittany,  and  Poitou.  But 
Blanche  of  Castile  possessed  a  more  vigorous  spirit  and  a 
stronger  arm  than  King  Henry  III. ;  she  herself  led  her 
son  to  the  war,  and,  in  spite  of  the  turbulency  of  the 


222 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  IX. 


French  barons,  who  were  always  eager  to  shake  off  their 
yoke,  she  saw  her  efforts  crowned  with  success.  Several 
towns  belonging  to  the  King  of  England  opened  their 
gates  to  her,  wliile  King  Henry  was  losing  time  and 
wasting  his  resources  on  fetes  and  tournaments  at  Nantes. 
He  started  back  for  England  in  the  month  of  October, 
deeply  humiliated,  leaving  his  ally,  the  Duke  of  Brittany, 
at  the  foot  of  the  throne  of  Louis  IX.,  who  granted  him 
the  pardon  which  he  had  humbly  solicited  with  a  rope 
round  his  neck.  The  Parliament  (this  Norman  name  was 
beginning  to  be  used)  which  was  convoked  at  Henry's 
return,  refused  to  grant  any  subsidies,  alleging  that,  thanks 
to  the  folly  and  imprudence  of  the  king,  his  barons  were 
no  richer  than  himself. 

Hubert  de  Burgh  had  for  some  years  past  triumphed 
over  his  rival,  Pierre  des  Roches,  who  was  obliged  to 
retire  into  private  life ;  but  the  ill  success  of  the  expedi- 
tion to  France  had  ended  by  causing  a  feeling  against  the 
minister  among  many  of  the  nobility,  who  were  jealous  of 
his  power.  Pierre  des  Roches  reappeared  at  the  court, 
and  soon  afterwards  formal  accusations  were  made  against 
Hubert,  most  of  them  frivolous,  and  attesting  nothing  but 
his  fidelity  to  his  king,  whom  he  had  served  and  defended 
during  so  many  years.  But  Henry  III.  was  not  in  a 
position  to  protect  his  friend,  and  would  scarcely  recognize 
him  ;  he  was  prejudiced  against  Hubert,  who  took  refuge 
at  Merton  Abbey.  The  king  had  ordered  that  he  should 
be  arrested  there  ;  but  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin  reminded 
him  of  the  privilege  of  sanctuary  and  obtained  a  passport, 
v/hich  authorized  the  fallen  minister  to  retire  to  his  resi- 
dence and  prepare  his  defence.  On  the  faith  of  this 
promise  Hubert  de  Burgh  set  out  to  meet  his  wife,  the 
King  of  Scotland's  sister,  at  Bury  St.  Edmunds;  but  he 
was  attacked  on  the  way  by  a  band  of  armed  men  sent  by 


Chap.  IX.]    KING  AND  BARONS.— HENRY  IIL  223 


the  king.  Hubert  was  in  bed  at  the  time  ;  but  fled  half- 
naked  into  the  parish  church,  and,  seizing  in  one  hand  the 
crucifix  and  in  the  other  the  host,  he  awaited  his  enemies 
upon  the  steps  of  the  ahar.  He  was  dragged  into  the 
churchyard,  and  on  the  refusal  of  a  blacksmith,  who 
declared  that  he  would  rather  die  than  chain  down  the 
defender  of  Dover  Castle,  was  tied  to  a  horse  and  con- 
ducted to  the  Tower  of  London,  The  violation  of  the 
consecrated  spot,  however,  excited  the  public  indignation 
to  such  a  degree  that  the  king  found  himself  obliged  to 
send  his  prisoner  to  Brentwood  church,  which  he  caused 
to  be  surrounded  by  palings  and  trenches,  thus  compelling 
Hubert  to  give  himself  up  voluntarily.  Having  been 
again  imprisoned  in  the  Tower,  the  earl  was  deprived  of 
all  his  property  and  afterwards  languished  for  one  year  in 
the  Castle  of  Devizes.  He  contrived  to  escape,  and, 
having  been  rescued  by  his  friends  at  the  very  moment 
when  his  enemies  were  upon  him,  he  regained  a  certain 
amount  of  power ;  but  he  no  longer  aspired  to  the  dange- 
rous position  of  prime  minister,  which  his  rival,  Pierre  des 
Roches,  had  lost  in  consequence  of  his  manoeuvres  and 
excesses.  Being  satisfied  with  the  recovery  of  his  liberty 
and  a  portion  of  his  property,  Hubert  left  the  new  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury,  Edmund  Rich,  in  undisturbed 
possession  of  the .  supreme  authority.  This  prelate,  like 
his  predecessor  Stephen  Langton,  was  a  patriotic  states- 
man, who  contrived  for  the  moment  to  conquer,  by  his 
good  sense  and  wisdom,  the  aversion  vWiich  the  king 
manifested  towards  charters,  and  the  restlessness  of  the 
barons,  who  were  always  inclined  to  maintain  by  force  of 
arms  the  privileges  which  they  had  gained  with  so  much 
difficulty. 

A  fresh  clement  of  discord  had  sprung  up  between  the 
king  and  his  people.    Henry  had  married  in  1236  Eleanor 


224 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  IX. 


of  Provence,  sister  of  Margaret,  wife  of  Louis  IX.,  King 
of  France.  A  large  number  of  Gascons  and  Provencals 
had  followed  her  to  the  court ;  the  queen  was  accompanied 
by  four  uncles,  young  brothers  of  her  mother,  the  Prin- 
cess of  Savoy.  The  king  immediately  conceived  a  firm 
friendship  for  them  ;  the  Bishop  of  Valence  became  prime 
minister;  his  brother  Boniface  was  promoted  to  the  arch- 
bishopric of  Canterbury,  which  Edmund  Rich  had  aban- 
doned, weary  and  disgusted,  to  retire  into  a  monastery ; 
and  the  two  other  brothers  were  also  provided  for.  Even 
this  was  not  sufficient ;  the  Queen-n:iother,  now  Countess 
of  Marche,  sent  to  the  court  of  England  the  four  sons 
whom  she  had  borne  to  Hugh  de  Lusignan,  and  the  wealth 
and  honors  which  the  king  lavished  on  the  brothers 
attracted  towards  them  a  large  number  of  adventurers. 
The  king  found  himself  without  money;  all  the  ecclesi- 
astical benefices  were  reserved  for  Italians,  by  virtue  of  the 
Pope's  authority  over  the  country.  Parhament  always 
insisted  on  the  departure  of  the  strangers  as  a  condition  of 
granting  subsidies  ;  but  the  king,  immediately  on  obtain- 
ing the  money,  forgot  his  promises,  and  even  his  oaths, 
and  his  frivolous  followers  laughed  at  Magna  Charta  and 
the  importance  which  the  barons  attached  to  it.  "  What 
are  the  English  laws  to  us  ?"  they  would  ask. 

By  these  laws  the  king  was  compelled  to  ask  his  people 
for  the  means,  which  he  wasted  so  foolishly  on  feasts  and 
extravagance.  Each  day  the  Parliament  became  more 
reluctant  to  grant  them.  The  Queen-mother,  offended, 
she  said,  by  the  Countess  of  Poitou,  sister-in-law  of  Louis 
IX.,  urged  her  son  to  declare  war  with  France,  assuring 
him  that  the  old  vassals  of  his  house  were  eager  to  gather 
round  his  standard.  The  English  barons  refused  the 
necessary  subsidies,  saying  that  the  truce  agreed  to  be- 
tween the  two  kingdoms  still  remained  in  force.  Henry 


Chap.  IX.J    KING  AND  BARONS,— HENRY  III.  225 


was  not  of  a  warlike  disposition ;  but  his  mother  was 
importunate ;  he  raised  some  money,  and  set  sail  for 
France  with  three  hundred  knights.  A  certain  number 
of  malcontents  soon  joined  him,  commanded  by  the  Count 
of  Marche,  whom  his  wife  sent  to  the  war,  as  she  had 
already  sent  her  son.  King  Louis  IX.  had  taken  the  field 
with  forces  superior  to  those  of  the  English.  The  two 
young  monarchs  met  near  the  castle  of  Taillebourg,  in 
Saintonge,  on  the  banks  of  the  Charente.  Louis,  at  the 
head  of  his  forces,  attacked  the  bridge  defended  by  the 
English  troops,  and  for  a  moment  withstood  almost  un- 
aided their  united  efforts.  His  signal  courage  gained  the 
day;  the  bridge  was  taken,  the  English  were  routed,  and 
the  King  of  England  escaped  in  com^pany  with  his  brother, 
to  whom  he  owed  his  safety.  The  two  brothers  took 
refuge  in  Saintes.  A  second  battle  was  fought  on  the 
morrow,  under  the  walls  of  the  town,  and  the  English 
were  again  defeated.  The  Count  of  Marche  surrendered, 
and  King  Henry,  flying  across  Saintonge,  embarked  at 
Blaye,  leaving  the  decorations  of  his  chapel  and  the  money 
remaining  in  his  coffers  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  It 
was  to  the  moderation  of  King  Louis  IX.  and  to  the 
scruples  of  his  sensitive  conscience  that  the  English  were 
indebted  for  a  truce  of  five  years. 

The  barons,  humiliated  and  disgraced,  although  they 
had  not  been  engaged  in  the  quarrel  with  France,  claimed 
the  right  of  nominating  the  chief  justicier,  the  chancellor, 
and  several  other  officers  of  tlie  crown.  The  king  refused, 
and  the  Parliament  only  allowed  him  what  was  strictly 
r.ccessary  on  the  occasion  of  the  marriage  of  his  eldest 
daugr.ter  to  the  King  of  Scotland.  Henry  had  conceived 
a  hatred  of  parliaments.  In  order  to  manage  without 
them  he  had  recourse  to  every  expedient  by  which  he 

could  raise  money;  he  exacted  enormous  fines,  tortured 
15 


220 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  IX. 


tlie  Jews,  and  begged  presents  of  all  his  vassals.  God 
gave  us  this  child,  but  the  king  sold  him  to  us,"  said  a 
wag  at  the  birth  of  one  of  the  princes.  Henry  even,  on 
one  occasion,  sold  a  portion  of  the  royal  table-plate.  He 
Vv^as  advised  to  sell  everything,  but  the  difficulty  was  to 
find  buyers.  The  citizens  of  London  will  buy  anything," 
cried  tlie  king  bitterly.  By  my  faith  !  if  the  treasures 
of  Augustus  were  for  sale,  the  citizens  would  make  the 
purchase.  These  villains  live  like  barons,  v/hile  we  are  in 
want  of  the  principal  necessaries  of  life."  The  king  de- 
tested the  city  of  London,  but  he  levied  as  many  taxes  as 
possible  upon  its  inhabitants,  instructing  the  persons  of  In*s 
household  to  obtain  all  the  things  necessary  for  his  enter- 
tainments without  paying  for  them,  and  continually  claim- 
ing gifts  under  the  most  frivolous  pretexts  from  the  citizens. 

In  1253,  King  Henry  had  come  to  an  end  of  all  his 
resources  and  expedients.  He  was  compelled  to  convoke 
a  ParHament,  declaring  that  he  was  anxious  to  assume  the 
cross,  and  go  and  deliver  the  tomb  of  Jesus  Christ  from 
tlie  hands  of  the  infidels.  The  barons  had  often  seen  this 
pious  pretext  made  us  of,  and  were  not  to  be  deceived  by 
it ;  they  were,  besides,  accustomed  in  private  life,  to  hear 
the  same  determination  announced,  in  order  to  set  aside 
the  most  solemn  obligations.  Before  making  any  grant, 
they  exacted  a  new  and  solemn  ratification  of  their  liberties. 
On  the  3rd  of  May  the  king  proceeded  to  Westminster 
Hall;  the  barons  were  assembled  tliere,  and  all  the  bishops 
were  standing  with  tapers  in  their  hands.  They  ofliered 
one  to  the  king.  I  am  not  a  priest,"  he  said,  and  re- 
fused it.  The  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  stepped  forward, 
and  uttered  the  sentence  of  excommunication  against  all 
those  who  should  either  directly  or  indirectly  violate  the 
cliarters  of  the  kingdom.  As  he  finished  speaking,  all  the 
prelates  threw  aside  their  tapers,  which  were  extinguished 


Chap.  IX.]    KING  AND  BARONS. —HENRY  III.  227 


at  their  feet,  and  the  priests  cried :  May  the  soul  of  him 
who  may  incur  this  sentence  be  extinguished  in  a  hke 
manner  in  hell."  The  king,  uplifting  his  hand,  uttered  this 
oath :  May  God  help  me  to  preserve  intact  all  these 
charters,  as  I  am  a  Christian,  as  I  am  a  knight,  and  as  I 
am  a  king,  anointed  and  crowned."  Scarcely  had  he 
received  the  subsidies,  when  he  started  on  an  expedition 
to  Guienne,  which  was  threatened  by  the  intrigues  of 
Alphonse,  king  of  Castile.  The  quarrel  was  soon  settled, 
and  a  marriage  decided  upon  between  Prince  Edward, 
Henry's  elder  brother,  and  Princess  Eleanor,  daughter  of 
Alphonse.  But  the  king  kept  this  happy  consummation 
secret,  in  order  to  obtain  fresh  subsidies  from  his  English 
subjects,  under  the  pretence  of  continuing  the  war.  He 
only  came  back  to  England  when  he  found  himself,  as 
usual,  reduced  to  beggary. 

The  king's  want  of  political  foresight  was  as  conspicuous 
as  his  prodigality  and  weakness.  The  King  of  Sicily, 
Frederick  n.,  had  been  dead  some  time  (1250).  He  had 
been  excommunicated,  and  Pope  Innocent  IV.  had  claimed 
his  kingdom  as  a  fief  of  the  Holy  See.  Frederic's  son. 
Prince  Conrad,  supported  generally  by  the  people,  was 
resisting  this  pretension  by  force  of  arms,  and  the  Pope 
was  casting  about  for  a  foreign  prince  who  might  be  dis- 
posed to  take  up  the  quarrel.  He  offered  the  crown  of 
Sicily  to  Richard,  brother  of  the  King  of  England,  whose 
immense  fortune,  derived  from  the  Cornish  mines,  rendered 
him  more  powerful  even  than  King  Henry  himself ;  but 
he  refused  the  tempting  bait,  although  he  was  quite  ready 
to  be  seduced,  some  months  later,  by  the  hope  of  gaining 
possession  of  the  empire.  The  Pope  then  offered  the 
kingdom  of  Sicily  to  the  King  of  England  for  his  second 
son  Edmund,  and  the  monarch  joyfully  accepted  the  offer, 
without  troubling  himself  about  the  demands  of  his  sub- 


228 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,        [Chap.  IX. 


jects  or  the  state  of  his  finances.  The  Pope  was  borrowing 
of  the  Lombards  and  the  Venetians,  and  raising  troops  in 
his  name ;  but  tlie  Holy  See  was  a  hard  and  urgent 
creditor.  Innocent  IV.  soon  demanded  back  the  money 
which  he  had  spent,  and  ordered  the  EngHsh  clergy  to 
lend  the  necessary  funds  to  the  king.  The  clergy  refused; 
the  king  levied  enormous  taxes  on  the  abbeys  and  churches. 
The  legate  sent  to  England  to  recover  the  money  encoun- 
tered on  all  sides  the  most  violent  opposition.  I  would 
rather  die  than  pay  so  much  money,"  said  the  Bishop  of 
Worcester.  *'The  king  and  the  Pope  are  stronger  than 
we,"  said  the  Bishop  of  London  ;  but  if  I  am  deprived 
of  my  mitre,  I  shall  be  able  to  wear  a  helmet."  The 
legate  returned,  convinced  that  a  storm  was  about  to  burst 
over  England. 

It  was  on  the  2nd  of  May,  1258;  famine  reigned 
throughout  the  kingdom.  Henry  III.  had  been  reduced 
to  the  necessity  of  convoking  Parliament.  When  he 
entered  Westminster  Hall,  the  barons  were  awaiting  him 
there,  clad  in  their  armor.  On  hearing  the  clanking  of 
arms  at  his  arrival,  the  king  suddenly  turned  pale.  "  Am 
I  a  prisoner  ?"  he  said  nervously.  No,"  said  Roger 
Bigod,  earl  of  Norfolk  ;  "  but  your  foreign  favorites  and 
your  own  extravagance  have  reduced  the  country  to  such 
an  abject  state  of  misery,  that  we  demand  that  the  power 
may  for  the  future  be  vested  in  a  committee  of  bishops 
and  barons,  in  order  that  they  may  root  out  all  the  abuses, 
and  make  good  laws  for  us."  One  of  the  Lusignans 
began  to  protest.  The  king  agreed,  without  any  reserva 
tion,  to  the  demands  of  the  barons,  who  promised,  in 
return,  to  help  him  pay  his  debts,  and  to  support  the 
pretensions  of  his  son  in  Italy,  provided  that  he  would 
give  proofs  of  his  sincerity  at  the  reassembling  of  Parlfa- 
ment,  which  was  to  be  convoked  at  Oxford. 


Chap.  IX.]    KING  AX D  BAROXS.—HENRY  III.  229 


At  the  head  of  the  barons,  in  their  resistance  and  indig- 
nation against  foreigners,  was  Simon,  earl  of  Leicester, 
himself  a  foreigner.  The  youngest  son  of  Simon  of  Mont- 
fort,  the  persecutor  of  the  Albigenses,  he  had  inherited  the 
earldom  of  Leicester  through  his  mother,  and  had 
recovered  his  property,  which  had  been  confiscated  in 
1232,  through  the  favor  of  King  Henry,  who  had  taken  a 
fancy  to  the  young  Provencal,  whom  he  had  aided  in 
marrying  his  sister  Eleanor,  widow  of  the  Earl  of  Pem- 
broke, to  the  great  indignation  of  the  royal  family  and  the 
nobility  of  England. 

The  favor  of  the  king  w\is  short-lived.  Montfort  had 
initiated  himself  into  the  good  graces  of  the  barons,  who 
had  been  so  violently  opposed  to  him  at  first ;  and  the 
king,  jealous  and  uneasy,  drove  him  from  England  in 
1239,  scarcely  allowing  the  earl  time  enough  to  embark 
with  his  wife,  v/ho  went  with  her  husband  to  France.  He 
left  her,  to  assume  the  cross  and  proceed  to  Palestine, 
where  he  distinguished  himself  by  glorious  feats  of  arms. 
On  his  return,  the  king  had  forgotten  his  jealousy  and 
anger.  The  earl  lived  peaceably  in  England,  and  was 
even  raised  to  the  dignity  of  Governor  of  Gascony.  He 
was  recalled  in  1252,  under  the  pretence  of  misbehavior, 
and  young  Prince  Edward  was  provided  with  the  office 
thus  snatched  from  the  Earl  of  Leicester,  who  grew  more 
and  more  attached  to  the  cause  of  the  refractory  barons, 
of  whom  he  became  the  real  chief. 

The  king's  disorderly  habits  and  want  of  foresight 
having  at  length  reduced  him  to  the  last  extremities,  he 
decided  on  confronting  the  Parliament  assembled  at  Ox- 
ford on  the  nth  of  June,  1258.  The  whole  town  was 
filled  with  men-at-arms ;  all  the  barons  had  brought  a 
numerous  following  with  them.  They  presented  to  the 
king  the  list  of  the  council  who  were  to  be  entrusted  with 


230 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,       [Chap.  IX. 


the  administration  of  the  kingdom.  Twelve  members 
were  to  be  elected  by  the  king,  and  twelve  by  the  barons. 
This  assembly,  presided  over  by  the  Earl  of  Leicester,  was 
to  be  invested  during  twelve  years,  with  the  care  of  the 
royal  castles.  No  expense  could  be  incurred  against  their 
will ;  they  held  possession  of  the  great  seal,  and  were  to 
revise  the  accounts  of  the  chancellor  and  of  the  treasurer  • 
the  king  was  to  be  compelled  to  convoke  Parliament  three 
times  a  year. 

Henry  agreed  without  hesitation  to  these  humiliating 
conditions,  just  as  his  father.  King  John,  had  signed 
Magna  Charta.  Prince  Edward,  whose  conscience  would 
not  allow  him  to  take  oaths  as  lightly  as  his  father  had 
done,  at  first  made  a  show  of  resistance,  but  ended  by 
acceding  to  the  wishes  of  the  barons.  His  cousin  Henry, 
son  of  Richard  of  Cornwall,  who  was  then  known  as  th.e 
King  of  the  Romans,  declared  that  his  oath  would  not  be 
valid,  if  made  in  the  absence  of  his  father.  Let  your 
father  have  a  care,"  said  Leicester,  if  he  refuse  to  do  the 
bidding  of  the  barons  of  England,  for,  in  that  case,  he  shall 
not  remain  in  possession  of  one  foot  of  land  in  the  king- 
dom."   The  young  nobleman  accordingly  took  the  oath. 

The  king's  brothers  had  refused  to  give  up  the  castles 
which  they  occupied.  I  will  have  them,  or  you  shall 
lose  your  head,"  Montfort  declared  to  William  of  Valence. 
And  he  made  such  formidable  accusations  against  them  at 
the  council,  that  the  four  brothers  took  refu$;e  in  Woles- 
ham  Castle.  The  barons  pursued  them,  made  them 
prisoners,  and  sent  them  out  of  the  kingdom.  The  acts  of 
the  Parliament  of  Oxford,  the  Mad  Parliament,"  as  the 
royalists  called  it,  were  strictly  observed  throughout  the 
kingdom. 

The  barons  had  taken  every  precaution  against  a  feeble 
or  improvident  government ;  but  tliey  had  not  been  able  to 


Chap.  IX.]    KING  AND  BARONS.— HENRY  III.  231 


guard  against  the  temptations  of  triumphant  ambition. 
The  offices  left  vacant  after  the  departure  of  the  king's 
favorites,  were  filled  up  by  the  favorites  of  the  Earl  of 
Leicester.  His  allies  began  to  grow  alarmed  at  his  great 
power;  tlie  King  of  the  Romans,  who  had  recently 
returned  to  England,  after  having  taken  the  oath  of 
allegiance  to  the  acts  of  the  barons,  endeavored  to  create 
rivals  to  the  Earl.  The  barons,  violent  and  haughty, 
insulted  the  king  and  oppressed  the  people.  Why  are  you 
so  bold  with  me,  my  lord,  earl  said  Henry  to  Roger 
Bigod ;  do  you  not  know  that  I  could  order  all  your 
corn  to  be  destroyed  Indeed,  sir  king,"  said  the  earl, 
and  could  I  not  send  you  the  heads  of  the  destroyers  ?" 
The  dissensions  among  the  barons  reawakened  the  hopes 
of  the  king.  He  had  provided  himself  with  a  dispensation 
from  the  Pope,  which  relieved  him  of  his  oaths,  and,  in 
February,  1261,  he  ventured  to  announce  to  the  barons 
that  they  had  greatly  abused  their  power,  and  that  he,  the 
King  of  England,  intended  for  the  future  to  govern  with- 
out them.  He  had  at  the  same  time  taken  possession  of 
London.  Prince  Edward,  who  had  recently  returned 
from  France,  had,  on  the  contrary,  tendered  his  support  to 
tlie  barons,  out  of  respect  for  his  oath,  as  he  said.  Tlie 
kincr  saw  a  certain  number  of  his  adversaries  drawing* 
nearer  to  him,  and  in  spite  of  the  rebellion  of  the  nobility, 
the  temporary  success  of  the  king  compelled  Leicester  to 
escape  to  France,  swearing  that  he  would  never  again 
trust  to  the  oath  of  a  perjured  sovereign. 

In  1263,  the  struggle  had  just  begun  afresh.  The  Great 
Earl,  as  Leicester  was  called,  had  raised  his  standard  ;  the 
king  had  taken  refuge  in  London,  and  Prince  Edward  was 
at  Windsor  Castle.  Queen  Eleanor,  who  was  even  more 
detested  in  the  city  than  the  king  her  husband,  had 
endeavored  to  escape  by  way  of  the  Thames;  the  people 


232 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  IX. 


had  recognized  her,  and  her  bark  had  been  pelted  with 
mud  and  stones.  Cries  were  heard  of,  Let  us  drown  the 
witch  !"  The  Lord  Mayor  of  London  had  some  difficulty 
in  protecting  her.  The  king  had  given  up  everything  and 
agreed  to  everything,  but  only  to  attack  his  adversaries 
again  in  the  month  of  June,  arming  himself  against  them 
w^ith  the  Earl  of  Leicester's  claim  that  the  authority  of  the 
barons  in  the  government  was  to  be  continued  after 
Henry's  death,  under  the  reign  of  his  successor.  Prince 
Edward's  scruples  disappeared  before  this  arrogant  au- 
dacity, and  he  openly  embraced  his  father's  cause. 

The  bishops  made  an  effort  to  put  an  end  to  the  civil 
war ;  they  proposed  to  submit  the  dispute  to  the  arbitra- 
tion of  Louis  IX.,  a  noble  testimony  to  the  fairness  and 
integrity  of  a  prince  who  was  related  to  the  King  of  Eng- 
land by  family  ties.  The  barons  consented  at  first ;  but 
King  Louis,  although  requiring  that  Henry  should  respect 
the  Great  Charter,  decided  that  the  power  should  be 
placed  in  the  king's  hands,  that  the  sovereign  was  free  to 
choose  his  attendants  from  among  his  subjects,  or  from 
among  foreigners,  and  that  the  royal  castles  should  be 
given  up.  The  barons  smiled  disdainfully  at  this  decision  ; 
they  had  had  some  experience  of  the  king's  good  faith,  and 
expected  to  lose  all  the  liberties  acquired  after  so  long  a 
struggle,  if  they  did  not  hold  the  tokens  of  them  with  a 
firm  hand.  The  civil  war  recommenced  ;  after  alternate 
successes  and  reverses  the  two  armies  met  on  the  plains 
of  Lewes  in  Sussex.  Prince  Edward  violently  attacked  a 
body  of  citizens  of  London  who  had  followed  Leicester 
to  the  field  of  battle.  He  was  anxious  to  avenge  the 
insult  which  his  mother  had  suffered.  He  pursued  the 
unfortunate  soldiery,  whose  lines  were  soon  broken  by  the 
king's  cavalry.  But  in  his  absence,  fortune  declared  itself 
in  favor  of  the  Earl  of  Leicester.   When  Edward  reappeared 


Chap.  IX.]    KING  AND  BARONS.— HENRY  IIL  233 


upon  the  field  of  battle,  the  king  was  a  prisoner,  as  well  as 
his  brother,  the  King  of  the  Romans  ;  the  prince  soon 
suffered  the  same  fate ;  the  Lusignans  fled  and  again  made 
their  escape  from  England.  Leicester  was  now  master  of 
the  situation  ;  the  sovereign  and  the  heir-apparent  served 
him  as  hostages.  His  power  soon  became  greater  than 
that  of  the  king  had  been  at  any  time.  Having  been 
excommunicated  by  the  Pope,  he  took  no  notice  of  the 
sentence,  notwithstanding  his  sincere  piety.  Rome  had 
abused  its  power,  and  a  great  number  of  the  English 
clergy  were  favorable  to  Leicester  and  supported  his  cause 
as  that  of  the  people,  who  adored  the  earl.  Strong  in  his 
popularity,  Leicester  thought  himself  able  to  triumph  over 
all  his  rivals.  He  compelled  the  barons  who  had  sided 
with  the  king  to  give  up  their  castles  to  him,  causing  them 
to  be  tried  by  their  peers,  and  then  banishing  them  to 
Ireland.  On  a  dem^onstration  being  made  by  a  fleet 
which  had  been  raised  in  France  by  Queen  Eleanor,  he 
gathered  together  soldiers  from  all  the  boroughs  and  cities 
to  resist  the  invaders,  while  he  himself,  taking  up  his 
position  at  the  head  of  the  English  squadron,  was  cruising 
in  the  Channel,  awaiting  the  enemy.  The  Queen's  vessels 
did  not  dare  to  leave  port,  and  Leicester  returned  in 
triumph  to  England. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  year  1265,  the  earl  had  con- 
vened a  ParHament,  and,  for  the  first  time,  the  representa- 
tives of  tlie  counties  and  the  towns  had  taken  their  seats 
beside  the  barons  and  prelates.  Leicester  knew  vdiere  his 
real  strength  lay,  and  looked  for  support  from  the  body  of 
the  people.  All  that  was  decreed  by  the  Parliament  as 
thus  constituted,  was  favorable  to  tlie  Earl:  a  certain 
amount  of  liberty  was,  however,  granted  to  Prince  Edward, 
who  was,  nevertheless,  watched  closely.  He  soon  learnt 
to  profit  by  the  amelioration  in  his  condition.  Issuing 


234 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  IX. 


forth  one  day  from  Hereford  Castle,  he  organized  races 
among  his  guards,  reserving  to  himself  the  right  of  award- 
ing the  prize ;  then,  when  all  the  horses  were  exhausted 
with  the  exception  of  his  own,  he  galloped  off  until  he 
met  Roger  Mortimer,  one  of  his  friends  who  was  coming 
from  the  frontiers  of  Wales,  to  join  him.  The  party  of 
resistance  to  the  barons  thenceforth  had  a  chief,  and  after 
a  year  of  supreme  power,  Leicester  was  destined  to  discover 
the  uncertainty  of  human  affairs. 

The  earl  had  five  sons  ;  the  three  eldest  were  more 
violent,  more  tyrannical  and  more  greedy  than  all  the 
foreigners  who  had  formerly  surrounded  the  king.  Henry 
of  Montfort  had  seized  upon  all  the  wool  intended  for 
exportation,  and  sold  it  for  his  own  benefit.  Guy  and 
Simon  of  Montfort  had  armed  a  fleet,  and  were  taking 
possession  of  any  merchantmen  that  they  chanced  to  come 
across,  without  distinction  of  parties.  They  added  thus 
daily  to  the  number  of  their  enemies,  and  were  quietly 
undermining  the  power  of  their  father.  The  Earl  of 
Derby  and  the  young  Earl  of  Gloucester  (formerly  sin- 
cerely devoted  to  Leicester)  embraced  the  cause  of  Prince 
Edward,  who,  seeing  his  forces  swell  rapidly,  advanced 
towards  Kenilworth  Castle,  the  hereditary  property  of  the 
Earls  of  Leicester.  Simon  of  Montfort,  the  earl's  second 
son,  had  just  arrived  there  ;  he  was  marching  to  meet  his 
father,  who  was  endeavoring,  with  little  success,  to  raise 
an  army ;  in  vain  did  he  summon  the  king's  vass^ils  to 
come  and  serve  under  his  standards ;  his  supporters  were 
not  many.  Prince  Edward  attacked  Simon's  camp,  just 
outside  Kenilworth,  made  a  large  number  of  prisoners, 
and  captured  all  the  enemy's  baggage.  Simon  had  only 
time  to  take  refuge  in  the  castle,  but  was  unable  to  join 
his  father,  when  the  latter  arrived  at  Evesham,  on  the  14th 
of  August,  1265. 


Chap.  IX.]    KING  AND  B ARON S,— HENRY  III  235 


A  number  of  banners  were  perceptible  in  the  distance, 
and  the  earl's  barber  declared  that  he  recognized  the  arms 
of  Simon.  Go  up  into  the  church-steeple,  and  you  will 
see  better,"  said  Leicester.  The  barber  was  trembling 
with  fear  when  he  came  down ;  he  had  seen  the  lions  of 
England,  the  red  chevron  of  the  Earl  of  Gloucester,  the 
azure  bars  of  the  Mortimers,  and  innumerable  lances 
glistened  underneath  the  banners. 

**We  are  dead  men,  my  lord,"  said  he.  The  earl  was 
observing  the  order  of  battle  of  the  enemy.  They  have 
learnt  from  me  how  to  conduct  themselves,"  he  said 
calmly ;  may  the  Lord  have  mercy  on  our  souls,  for,  by 
the  arm  of  St.  James,  our  bodies  belong  to  the  prince ;" 
and,  re-entering  his  residence,  he  prepared,  as  usual,  for 
the  fight  by  prayer  and  the  sacrament.  His  son  Henry 
was  encouraging  him.  I  do  not  despair,  my  son,"  said 
the  earl ;  your  presumption  and  the  pride  of  your 
brothers  have  brought  us  to  this ;  but  I  will  die  for  the 
cause  of  the  Lord  and  justice." 

He  had  caused  the  feeble  king  to  be  armed,  and  had 
taken  him  about  with  him  everywhere.  The  standard  of 
England  was  displayed  by  both  armies.  The  earl  was 
endeavoring  to  open  up  a  road  towards  Kenilworth  ;  his 
most  devoted  adherents  had  formed  a  circle  round  him ; 
the  prince  still  pushed  forward  ;  in  front  of  him,  a  horse- 
man had  just  fallen  from  his  steed.  Save  me,"  cried  a 
plaintive  voice  ;  I  am  Henry  of  Winchester  !"  Edward 
sprang  forward,  and,  raising  up  his  wounded  father, 
dragged  him  into  a  place  of  safety.  In  his  absence,  the 
voice  of  the  earl  resounded  upon  the  field  of  battle.  Is 
any  quarter  given?"  he  asked.  No  quarter  for  traitors  !" 
cried  a  royalist  triumphantly,  and  at  the  same  moment, 
Henry  of  Montfort  fell  at  his  father's  feet.  By  the  arm 
of  St.  James,  it  is  time  to  die !"  cried  Leicester,  who 


236 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,       [Chap.  IX. 


plunged  headlong  into  the  surging  crowd,  holding  his 
sword  with  both  hands,  and  striking  down  all  who  came 
in  his  way.  He  fell  at  length,  as  well  as  the  knights  who 
still  surrounded  him.  Scarcely  a  dozen  remained  standing, 
when  Prince  Edward  sent  for  the  body  of  the  earl,  his 
godfather,  and  that  of  his  cousin  Henry,  to  transport  them 
to  the  abbey  of  Evesham.  The  body  of  Leicester  was 
decapitated,  and  his  hands  were  severed  from  his  arms. 
The  head  was  carried  to  Lady  Mortimer  by  her  husband's 
savage  w^arriors. 

Thus  died  Simon  the  Just,"  as  he  was  called  by  the 
people  of  England ;  a  sincere  man,  animated  by  more 
noble  sentiments  than  most  of  his  contemporaries  ;  haughty 
and  ambitious  without  being  cruel ;  a  man  who  had  ren- 
dered great  services  to  his  country  before  allowing  himself 
to  abuse  his  power  by  the  very  thirst  for  authority  and 
popularity.  The  remembrance  of  him  remained  sacred 
among  the  people,  who  would  assemble  round  his  tomb 
and  invoke  his  protection  devoutly,  complaining  of  his  not 
having  been  canonized.  His  sons  took  refuge  on  the 
Continent,  after  having  retained  possession  for  some  time 
of  Kenilworth  Castle.  The  younger  ones  remained  with 
their  mother,  who  was  generously  treated  by  her  nephew 
Edward ;  the  two  eldest,  Guy  and  Simon,  accomplished 
their  revenge  by  murdering,  five  years  later,  at  Viterbo, 
their  cousin  Henry  of  Almagne,  in  a  church,  while  mass 
was  being  celebrated.  They  disappeared  after  this  crime — • 
the  House  of  Montfort  had  fallen  forever. 

The  king  had  regained  his  sceptre,  delivered  the  prison- 
ers, and  called  back  the  exiles  who  had  been  banished  by 
the  Great  Earl ;  but  the  victory  gained  by  Leicester  sur- 
vived his  defeat.  In  the  Parliament  convened  at  Win- 
chester, in  the  month  of  September,  1265,  the  king  did 
not  dare  to  repudiate  the  liberties  acquired  by  England. 


Chap.  IX.]    KING  AND  BARONS.— HENRY  III  237 


The  City  of  London  alone  lost  its  charter,  but  the  severe 
sentences  pronounced  against  Leicester's  partisans  excited 
a  series  of  insurrections  which  Prince  Edward  had  great 
difficulty  in  quelling.  The  want  was  felt  of  loosing  the 
reins  of  government,  and  of  restoring  some  trust  to  tile 
vanquished;  a  committee  composed  of  bishops  and  barons 
was  entrusted  to  draw  up  the  conditions  of  peace,  and 
their  decision,  known  under  the  title  of  the  Dictum  of 
Kenilworth,  was  confirmed  by  the  king  and  the  parliament. 
The  efforts  of  the  Pope,  the  uprightness  and  good  sense 
of  Prince  Edward,  and  the  w^eariness  of  all  parties,  at 
length  brought  about  a  general  cessation  of  hostilities. 
On  the  1 8th  of  Novem.ber,  1267,  more  than  two  years 
after  the  battle  of  Evesham,  the  Parliament,  which  had 
assembled  at  Marlborough,  adopted  several  of  the  liberal 
guarantees  formerly  proposed  by  the  Earl  of  Leicester ; 
the  last  of  the  ^'patriots,"  as  they  called  themselves,  who 
still  held  the  Isle  of  Ely,  laid  down  their  arms  ;  the  citizens 
of  London  received  a  fresh  charter,  and  the  country  was 
at  peace. 

Scarcely  had  peace  been  secured,  when  Prince  Edward 
took  advantage  of  it  to  assume  the  cross,  as  did  also  his 
wife  Eleanor  of  Castile,  and  liis  cousin  Henry  of  Almagne. 
They  nrade  sail  in  the  month  of  July,  1270;  Louis  IX. 
had  just  set  out  on  his  second  crusade,  and  Prince  Edward, 
a  great  admirer  of  his  uncle  of  France,  was  hastening  to 
join  him,  when  Henry  of  Almagne,  who  had  been  sent 
upon  a  secret  mission  to  Italy,  was  assassinated  by  his 
cousins,  the  Montforts.  This  blow  was  fatal  to  the  old 
King  of  the  Romans,  who  died  in  the  month  of  December, 
1271  ;  eleven  months  afterwards,  on  the  i6th  of  November, 
1272,  his  brother.  King  Henry  III.,  also  died.  He  was 
interred  in  Westminster  Abbey  ;  but  before  being  lowered 
into  the  grave,  the  Earl  of  Gloucester,  placing  his  naked 


238  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,         [Chap.  X. 

hand  upon  the  corpse,  took  an  oath  of  fidelity  to  King 
Edward  I.;  the  other  barons  followed  his  example.  Kin^ 
Henry  was  sixty-five  years  of  age,  and  had  reigned  fifty- 
six.  King  only  in  name,  feeble  and  frivolous,  he  had  seen 
the  liberties  of  his  people  grow  greater  under  his  eyes  and 
against  his  wish  ;  his  son,  who  was  still  vainly  contending 
against  them,  was  destined  to  derive  from  the  free  support 
and  energetic  ardor  of  the  English  nation,  the  strength 
which  served  him  through  his  wars  and  conquests. 


CHAPTER  X. 

MALLEUS      SCOTORUM  —  EDWARD      L       (1272 — I307.) 
EDWARD   IL     (1307 — 1327.) 

THE  English  fleet  was  speeding  towards  the  coast  of 
Tunis,  to  which  place  the  policy  of  Charles  of  Anjou 
had  taken  Louis  IX.  Prince  Edward  was  already  rejoic- 
ing at  the  idea  of  going  back  to  his  uncle,  to  gain  instruc- 
tion in  Christian  chivalry.  But  with  the  land  appearing  in 
the  horizon,  when  approaching  the  port,  the  French  vessels 
were  seen  in  mourning,  the  flag  being  at  half-mast.  A 
feeling  of  uneasiness  spread  through  the  fleet.  A  little 
bark  put  out  from  shore  ;  she  came  alongside  the  prince's 
vessel.  The  holy  king  is  dead,"  said  the  sailors,  and  they 
burst  into  tears.  Prince  Edward  was  in  despair ;  he 
landed,  but  in  imagination  seemed  to  be  walking  among 
ghosts.  The  French  soldiers,  discouraged,  sick,  and  dis- 
heartened, resolved  to  give  up  an  enterprise  the  commence- 
ment of  which  had  been  so  disastrous.  The  young  King  of 
France,  Philip  the  Bold,  urged  Prince  Edward  to  return 
like  himself  to  his  country ;  but  Edward  was  inflexible. 

I  would  go,"  said  he,  "  even  had  I  only  with  me  Torvac, 
my  equerry."    As  far  as  Trapani,  in  Sicily,  he  accom- 


Chap.  X.]    MALLEUS  SCO  TO  RUM, -^EDWARD  L  239 


panied  the  funeral  procession  of  King  Philip,  bearing  the 
coffins  of  his  father  and  brother.  When  he  reached 
France  the  unfortunate  young  monarch  had  added  to 
these  the  biers  of  his  wife,  his  sister,  and  his  brother-in-law, 
the  King  of  Navarre. 

Prince  Edward  left  Sicily  in  the  spring  of  1 27 1,  making 
sail  towards  Acre,  the  only  place  which  still  remained  in 
the  hands  of  the  Christians.  He  commanded  a  small  band 
of  troops,  and  the  European  knights  who  were  in  Palestine 
did  not  respond  very  readily  to  his  appeal.  An  attack  on 
Nazareth,  followed  by  the  massacre  of  the  Mussulman 
garrison,  and  the  repair  of  the  walls  round  Acre,  was  the 
result  of  the  Seventh  Crusade,  when  Edward  himself 
nearly  fell  a  victim.  He  was  in  his  camp,  on  the  Friday 
after  Whit- Sunday,  towards  the  time  of  vespers  ;  overcome 
by  the  heat,  he  was  resting  upon  a  couch,  when  a  messen- 
ger from  the  Emir  of  Jaffa  presented  himself  at  the  door 
of  the  tent.  He  was  in  frequent  communication  with  the 
prince,  and  was,  therefore,  allowed  to  enter.  The  Arab 
presented  his  papers  ;  then,  suddenly  drawing  a  dagger 
from  his  long  sleeve,  he  stabbed  the  Prince  in  the  region 
of  the  heart.  Edward  sprang  up  from  his  couch,  and, 
knocking  down  the  assassin,  fractured  his  skull  with  a 
stool.  Then,  repressing  with  a  sign  the  violence  of  his 
attendants,  who  had  appeared  on  hearing  the  commotion, 
and  who  were  mutilating  the  assassin's  body, — "  Of  what 
use  is  it,''  he  asked,     to  strike  a  dead  man  ?" 

The  prince's  wound  was  slight,  but  the  idea  of  poison 
presented  itself  to  everybody's  mind.  The  Spanish 
legend  relates  that  Eleanor  of  Castile  kneeled  down  before 
her  husband,  and,  applying  her  lips  to  the  wound,  sucked 
the  poison  from  the  wound.  This  noble  instance  of  con- 
jugal love  is  disbelieved,  however,  by  some  historians.  An 
English  surgeon  was  called,  who   commenced  a  cruel 


240 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND, 


[Chap.  X. 


operation.  Eleanor  was  very  pale,  and  hei*  brother-in-law 
dragged  her  out  of  the  tent.  She  struggled  with  him, 
weeping  all  the  while.  It  is  better  that  you  should  cry," 
he  said  abruptly,  "  than  that  all  England  should  be  in 
mourning."  Edward's  wound  was  soon  healed.  As  soon 
as  his  wife  had  recovered,  after  the  birth  of  a  little  girl, 
called  Joan  of  Acre,  in  token  of  her  birthplace,  the  Eng- 
lish troops  set  sail  again,  promising  themselves,  as  King 
Richard  had  done,  to  come  back  to  the  Holy  Land  with 
larger  forces.  But  the  ardor  for  the  crusades  had  died 
out.  Saint  Louis  and  Prince  Edward  of  England  were  the 
last  crusaders,  and  eighteen  years  later,  in  1291,  the  last 
remains  of  Christian  power  in  the  East  disappeared  in  its 
turn.  Acre  was  retaken  from  the  Templars  by  the  Sultan 
Keladeen.  The  Holy  Sepulchre  thenceforth  remained  in 
the  hands  of  the  infidels. 

Prince  Edward  passed  through  Italy  and  paid  a  visit  at 
Rome  to  Pope  Gregory  X.,  formerly  Archdeacon  of  Liege, 
a  friend  of  the  prince,  and  while  with  him  received  tidings 
of  the  death  of  the  king  his  father.  The  grief  which  this 
loss  caused  him  was  so  violent  that  Charles  of  Anjou  was 
astonished  ;  a  throne  would  readily  have  consoled  him  for 
the  death  of  the  weak  Henry  of  Winchester.  *^  You  lost 
two  children,"  he  remarked,  without  displaying  as  much 
grief"  **The  Lord  who  gave  me  my  children,  can  give 
me  others,"  rejoined  Edward;  ''but  who  can  give  me  back 
a  father  ?" 

The  new  king  was  in  no  hurry  to  return  to  his  king- 
dom. He  stayed  in  Italy  to  obtain  justice  for  the  murder 
of  Henry  of  Almagne  ;  but  Simon  of  Montfort  was  already 
dead,  and  Guy  was  subjected  only  to  a  term  of  imprison- 
ment, but  contrived  to  elude  his  gaolers.  Edward  then 
proceeded  to  Prance  to  do  homage  for  Guienne  to  King 
Philip  the  Bold  ;  he  at  the  same  time  visited  his  possessions, 


Chap.  X.]    MALLEUS  SCOTORUM.^EDWA RD  L  241 


being  apprehensive,  no  doubt,  that  some  plot  might  be  on 
foot  to  deprive  him  of  them.  On  his  return  he  was 
challenged  to  single  combat  in  a  tournament  by  the  Count 
of  Chalons.  Edward  v/as  warned  by  the  Pope  that  that 
nobleman  sought  his  life.  He  was  b}^  nature  distrustful, 
and  when  he  saw  at  Chdlons  a  larger  number  of  knights 
than  he  possessed  himself,  his  suspicions  were  aroused,  and 
the  tournament  became  a  battle.  The  English  gained  the 
victory ;  the  Count  of  Chalons  himself  was  for  a  moment 
in  danger  ;  Edward  compelling  him  to  save  his  life  by 
surrendering  to  a  mere  man-at-arms. 

On  the  2nd  of  August,  1274,  the  King  of  England  at 
length  landed  at  Dover,  and  on  the  19th  of  the  same 
month  was  crowned  at  Westminster,  to  the  great  delight 
of  the  people.  The  nation  was  proud  of  its  young  king, 
of  his  reputation  for  courage  and  virtue,  of  his  exploits  and 
perils  in  the  Holy  Land.  His  reign  commenced  under 
liappy  auspices.  The  Jews  alone  dishked  the  accession 
of  a  prince  so  renowned  for  his  austere  piety  and  for  his 
zeal  against  the  infidels.  Their  instinct  had  not  deceived 
them;  Edward  v.^as  always  violently  hostile  to  them,  and 
one  of  the  first  acts  of  his  government,  on  his  return  from 
the  crusade,  was  to  liang  all  the  Jews  who  were  in  pos- 
session of  sweated  coin.  More  than  two  hundred  of  them 
perished  in  London  alone  for  this  offence,  common  among 
both  the  Jews  and  the  Christians.  It  was  but  the  begin- 
ning of  their  grievances.  Persecuted,  plundered,  impris- 
oned, the  unlucky  Israelites  were  finally  banished  from  the 
country  in  1290,  and  all  the  property  which  they  vv^ere 
obliged  to  leave  behind  them  was  confiscated. 

While  the  king  was  hanging  the  Jevv^s,  he  was  also 

instituting  a  commission  instructed  to  inquire  into  the  state 

of  landed  property  in  the  kingdom,  in  order  to  put  to  a 

test  the  title-deeds  of  the  Christians.    When  proofs  were 
IG 


242 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.         [Chap.  X. 


wanting  the  king  exacted  a  fine  before  granting  fresh 
letters  patent ;  but  this  useful  device  was  not  always  prac- 
ticable. When  Earl  Warren  was  called  upon  to  produce 
his  documents,  he  drew  his  sword.  That  is  the  title  by 
which  I  hold  my  lands,"  he  said,  "  and  that  will  suffice  me 
to  defend  them.  Our  fathers  who  came  over  with  William 
the  Bastard  acquired  the  land  with  their  good  lances ;  he 
did  not  conquer  the  country  unassisted  ;  he  was  supported 
by  others,  and  his  supporters  shared  tlie  spoil  with  .him." 
The  earl's  title-deeds  were  deemed  sufficient. 

The  prosperity  of  England  was  great  at  this  time ; 
several  years  of  rest  had  allowed  its  commerce  to  develope 
itself  The  king  respected  the  charters  in  all  important 
particulars  ;  his  zealous  judicial  administration  had  dimin- 
ished the  number  of  robbers  who  infested  the  highways, 
and  secured  the  integrity  of  the  magistrates ;  and  in 
consequence  he  was  popular  among  his  subjects.  But  this 
peaceful  glory  did  not  suf?ice  for  Edward  I.  As  ambitious 
as  his  ancestors,  he  had  a  desire  to  make  conquests  in 
other  quarters.  Instead  of  looking  with  an  envious  eye  on 
the  Continent,  he  had  conceived  the  project  of  subjecting 
the  whole  of  Great  Britain  to  his  dominion.  Scotland  was 
far  off,  and  he  could  find  no  pretext  for  declaring  Vv^ar  in 
that  direction.  Wales  had  never  recognized  anything  but 
a  partial  authority  of  the  kings  of  England,  and  the  reign- 
ing prince,  Llewellyn,  had  neglected  to  do  homage  to 
Edward  I.  on  his  accession  to  the  throne.  It  was  in  this 
direction  then  that  the  king  turned  his  attention.  He 
advanced  towards  the  frontiers  of  Wales  towards  the  end 
of  the  year  1276.  All  attempts  at  negotiation  failed,  and 
Llewellyn  was  declared  a  rebel  in  that  part  of  the  year 
when  the  snow  was  beginning  to  cover  the  mountains. 
The  war  could  not  possibly  begin  for  several  months. 

Edward,  however,  did  not    lose   time.     David,  the 


Chap.  X.]    MALLEUS  SCOTORUM.—EDWAKD  L  21^ 


younger  brother  of  Llewellyn,  had  been  deprived  by  the 
latter  of  all  his  property  ;  the  King  of  England  conferred 
many  favors  upon  him,  and  the  prince,  out  of  gratitude, 
summoned  all  his  partisans  under  the  standard  of  England. 
Hostilities  began  in  the  summer ;  Edward  entered  the 
enemy's  territory,  while  his  fleet  took  possession  of  the  Isle 
of  Anglesey,  and,  driving  Llewellyn  from  castle  to  castle, 
from  retreat  to  retreat,  he  reduced  him  in  a  short  time  to 
famine  in  the  depths  of  the  forests.  The  Welsh  prince 
was  obliged  to  surrender,  hard  as  were  the  conditions 
which  were  imposed  upon  him.  But  Edward  was  gene- 
rous, although  severe  ;  he  remitted  his  demands  one  by 
one,  and  ended  by  consenting  to  the  marriage  of  Llewellyn 
with  Eleanor  of  Montfort,  daughter  of  the  Earl  of  Leices- 
ter ;  she  had  for  some  time  been  affianced  to  him,  and 
had  been  captured  at  sea  in  the  preceding  year,  when  she 
was  proceeding  to  Wales.  David  had  received  a  large 
gift  of  property.  Edward  withdrew  his  armies,  leaving  in 
Wales  only  some  soldiers  in  the  castles,  and  the  Chief 
Justice,  Roger  Clifford,  who  was  entrusted  with  the  govern- 
ment of  the  new  conquest. 

The  King  of  England  had  not  taken  into  account  the 
patriotic  spirit  which  endeared  their  national  independence 
to  the  Welsh  people.  In  vain  had  he  raised  David  to  the 
rank  of  earl ;  in  vain  had  he  given  him  an  English  wife  ; 
as  soon  as  the  Welsh  prince  found  himself  in  his  moun- 
tains again,  he  remembered  only  that  his  country  was 
formerly  free  and  that  he  had  contributed  towards  reducing 
it  to  subjection.  The  civil  and  mihtary  measures  ordained 
by  Edward  were  obnoxious  to  the  people ;  the  highways 
which  were  opened  up  across  forests,  the  executions  of 
criminals  for  crimes  which  had  formerly  been  punished  by 
fines,  according  to  the  Welsh  laws  ;  the  encroachments  of 
the  king's  officers  upon  the  rights  of  the  Welsh  nobility  ; 


244 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.         [Chap.  X. 


so  many  grievances  easily  furnished  pretexts  for  David's 
new  resolve.  He  persuaded  his  brother  to  break  all  his 
engagements  with  Edward.  An  old  prophecy  of  Merlin 
began  to  circulate  again  throughout  the  mountains  ;  it  was 
to  tlie  effect  that  the  Prince  of  Wales  would  be  crowned 
in  London  when  the  money  in  that  town  should  be  round, 
and  it  was  rumored  in  Wales  that  it  was  forbidden  to  cut 
in  halves  the  new  coin  v/hich  had  recently  been  struck  in 
England,  as  had  hitherto  been  the  practice.  The  ciay  of 
victory  seemed  at  length  to  have  arrived. 

It  was  on  Palm  Sunday,  1282;  dark  night  had  come 
on,  and  a  violent  storm  was  raging  in  the  forests.  David 
suddenly  attacked  Hawarden  Castle,  where  the  chief  justi- 
cier  resided.  The  latter  was  seized  in  his  bed,  w^ounded, 
and  dragged  into  the  mountains.  All  the  country  rose ; 
Llewellyn  joined  his  brother  and  laid  siege  to  the  castles 
of  Flint  and  Rhuddlam  ;  the  English  settlers  were  every- 
where murdered.  All  Wales  v/as  up  in  arms  when  tidings 
of  the  insurrection  reached  the  king. 

Edward  pretended  not  to  believe  in  the  magnitude  of 
the  rebellion  ;  but  he  adopted  active  measures  to  repress 
it.  He  soon  arrived  in  the  mountains ;  the  autumn  liad 
come,  the  bad  weather  was  beginning,  and  the  English 
suffered  greatly  from  the  inclemency  of  the  climate.  A 
portion  of  the  army  who  tried  to  make  use  of  the  tempo- 
rary bridge  uniting  the  Isle  of  Anglesey  to  the  mainland, 
were  attacked  by  the  insurgents  and  completely  destro3^ed. 
Edward  himself  was  several  times  obliged  to  retreat. 
Llewellyn,  emboldened  by  his  success,  entrusted  David  to 
defend  the  defiles  of  the  mountains,  and  marched  to  meet 
the  king,  who  had  gathered  large  forces  near  Carmarthen. 
A  detachment  encountered  the  Welsh  prince  in  a  farm 
where  he  had  slept,  and,  without  knowing  him,  an  English 
knight  engaged  in  a  combat  with  him.    Llewellyn  was 


Chap.  X.]    MALLEUS  SCO TORUM.— EDWARD  L  245 


killed ;  the  struggle  was  then  carried  on  between  the 
English  and  the  Welsh  who  had  come  to  join  their  prince. 
When  the  dead  were  despoiled  after  the  battle,  Llewellyn 
was  recognized,  and  his  head  was  sent  to  Edward  in  token 
of  victory.  David  still  held  his  position  in  the  mountains ; 
at  length  he  was  betrayed,  delivered  up  to  the  English, 
and  imprisoned  in  Durham  Castle  with  his  wife  and 
children.  In  the  month  of  September,  1283,  the  Enghsh 
Parliament  condemned  him  to  death  as  guilty  of  high 
treason,  while  Edward  promised  a  new  prince  to  the 
country  which  he  had  just  subdued.  Queen  Eleanor  was 
at  Carnarvon  Castle,  waiting  to  be  delivered  of  a  child ;  she 
gave  birth  to  a  son  on  the  25  th  of  April,  1284.  The  child 
was  immediately  called  Edward  Prince  of  Wales  ;  and  when 
he  found  himself  heir  presumptive  to  the  throne,  by  the 
death  of  his  elder  brother  Alphonsus,  his  title  became  the 
appanage  of  the  eldest  son  of  the  King  of  England,  thus 
perpetuating  the  remembrance  of  the  definitive  subjection 
of  the  Welsh  people  and  the  feeble  consolation  which  the 
conqueror  had  offered  to  them. 

A  few  years  of  peace  followed  the  conquest  of  Wales. 
The  king  had  been  recalled  on  the  Continent  to  serve  as 
an  arbitrator  on  the  claims  of  tlie  houses  of  France,  of 
Arragon,  and  of  Anjou  to  the  crown  of  Sicily.  His 
English  subjects  were  clamoring  for  his  return,  and  they 
ended  by  refusing  him  the  necessary  subsidies.  The  king 
then  returned  to  England ;  but  a  great  misfortune  awaited 
him  ;  Queen  Eleanor  died  on  the  29th  of  November,  1292. 
With  her  disappeared  the  softening  influence  which  had 
modified  the  haughty  character  and  ambitious  views  of  the 
king  ;  and  just  at  this  moment  a  great  temptation  offered 
itself  to  him. 

The  King  of  Scotland,  Alexander  III.,  had  died  in 
1286,  leaving   no   other   heir   than  his  granddaughter 


246 


HISTORF   OF  ENGLAND,         [Chap.  X. 


Margaret,  princess  of  Norway.  She  was  still  a  child,  and 
her  father  had  kept  her  for  some  time  past  with  him. 
She  at  length  sailed  for  Scotland  in  1290;  but  she  died 
during  the  passage,  and  Scotland  became  a  prey  to  all  the 
evils  of  a  contested  succession.  Thirteen  noblemen, 
descendants  of  members  of  the  royal  family,  set  up  claims 
to  the  throne  simultaneously ;  but  two  of  them  had  pros- 
pects very  much  better  than  those  of  any  of  the  others : 
these  were  John  Baliol  and  Robert  Bruce,  grandson  and 
son  of  two  elder  daughters  of  David,  earl  of  Huntingdon, 
the  younger  brother  of  King  William  the  Lion ;  but  no 
one  possessed  claims  sufficiently  strong  to  impress  the 
people  in  their  favor.  The  Scotch,  troubled  by  the  pros- 
pect of  anarchy  without  result,  sent  an  embassy  to 
King  Edward  to  ask  him  to  act  as  arbitrator  in  this  serious 
aspect  of  affairs,  and  to  decide  who  should  be  King  of 
Scotland. 

Edward  received  the  deputation  at  Norham  on  the  loth 
of  May,  1 29 1,  and  from  the  first  declared  that,  as  liege 
lord  of  Scotland,  he  would  settle  the  question  of  the  suc- 
cession, insisting,  first  of  all,  upon  the  recognition  of  his 
rights  of  superiority  by  the  pretenders.  The  Scotch 
people  hesitated ;  they  asked  for  a  delay.  By  St. 
Edward,  from  whom  I  hold  my  crown,"  cried  the  King 
of  England,  I  w^U  establish  my  just  rights,  or  perish  in 
the  attempt."  And  the  assembly  was  adjourned  until  the 
2nd  of  June  following.  Edward  had  convoked  all  the 
barons. 

On  the  appointed  day,  eight  claimants  had  met  near 
Norham,  in  the  plain  of  Hollywell-Haugh,  on  the  Scotch 
territory.  When  the  Chancellor  of  England  asked  the 
pretenders,  among  whom  was  Robert  Bruce,  whether  they 
were  willing  to  abide  by  the  decision  of  Edv/ard,  king  of 
England,  as  liege  lord  of  Scotkind,  Bruce  reco^'nized  with- 


Chap.  X.]    MALLEUS  SCOTORUM,~EDWARD  /,  247 


out  hesitation  the  rights  of  the  powerful  monarch  who 
could  award  the  crown  to  him.  His  rivals  did  hkewise, 
and  John  Bahol,  who  arrived  on  the  morrow,  was  the 
more  wilhng  to  compromise  the  safety  of  his  country  as 
he  beheved  he  had  secured  the  favor  of  Edward.  The 
chancellor  had  taken  care  to  announce,  in  the  name  of  his 
master,  that  the  right  of  the  king  as  liege  lord,  which  had 
just  been  recognized,  in  no  way  affected  the  titles  to  pro- 
perty which  he  might  think  proper  to  proclaim  valid 
thereafter.  On  the  3rd  of  June,  a  commission  was  ap- 
pointed to  examine  the  rights  of  the  two  great  pretenders, 
and  the  regents  of  Scotland  consigned  all  the  royal  castles 
to  Edward,  on  condition  that  he  should  give  them  up  two 
months  after  the  decision  between  Bruce  and  Baliol.  On 
the  15  th  of  the  same  month,  the  pretenders  took  the  oath 
of  allegiance  to  Edward,  as  did  also  a  great  number  of 
Scotch  barons,  and  peace  was  proclaimed  in  his  name,  as 
Hege  lord  of  Scotland.  The  first  step  in  the  path  of 
dependence  had  been  made. 

The  second  act  of  the  drama  was  enacted  at  Berwick 
Castle,  on  the  17th  of  November,  1292.  There  King 
Edward,  having  made  a  scrutiny  of  the  rights  of  all  the 
pretenders,  and  having  consulted  the  Parliament  of  Scot- 
land, at  length  declared  that  the  grandson  of  the  elder 
daughter  had  a  prior  claim  to  that  of  the  son  of  the  younger 
daughter,  thus  deciding  in  favor  of  Baliol  to  the  exclusion 
of  Bruce.  On  the  19th  the  governors  of  the  castles  re- 
ceived instructions  to  give  up  their  keys  to  the  new  king, 
and  on  the  morrow  Baliol  swore  fidelity  to  Edward  at 
Norham.  Having  been  crowned  on  the  30th  at  Scone, 
he  proceeded  to  England,  whither  King  Edward  had  been 
called  in  consequence  of  the  illness  and  death  of  Eleanor 
of  Castile  ;  the  new  king  did  homage  for  the  kingdom 
of  Scotland  on   the  26th  of  November,  at  Newcastle. 


248  HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND,        [Chap.  X. 


The  King  of  England  again  reserved  his  rights  of 
property. 

While  Edward  was  laboring  to  subject  the  Scotch 
people,  King  Philip  the  Fair  was  secretly  plotting  with  the 
intention  of  driving  the  English  from  the  French  soil  and 
depriving  them  of  Aquitaine.  An  encounter  had  taken 
place  between  the  English  and  Norman  sailors  on  the 
coast  of  Guienne;  tlie  merchantmen  of  the  two  countries 
taking  sides  warmly,  had  been  engaged  in  several  fights 
with  each  other.  The  King  of  France  seized  the  oppor- 
tunity, some  outrages  having  been  committed  on  his 
subjects,  to  summon  King  Edward  to  appear  at  his  court, 
as  Duke  of  Aquitaine,  in  order  to  answer  before  his  peers 
for  the  offences  committed  against  his  liege  lord.  Edward 
sent  his  brother  Edmund,  who  weakly  consented  to  satisfy 
the  feudal  honor  of  King  Philip  by  placing  in  the  hands 
of  the  French  officers  the  duchy  of  Gascony  for  a  period 
of  forty  days.  The  conditions  were  agreed  to.  The 
question  was  not  one  of  territorial  aggrandisement  but  of 
reparation.  The  English  prince  waited  for  forty  days. 
This  period  of  time  having  elapsed,  lie  came  to  claim  the 
restoration  of  his  domains ;  the  King  of  France  laughed, 
and  declared  that  the  Duke  of  Aquitaine  had  forfeited  his 
rights  as  a  vassal  by  not  presenting  himself  personally 
before  his  liege  lord.  The  grand  constable  was  at  once 
sent  to  all  the  towns  and  castles  belonging  to  King 
Edward ;  a  large  number  of  them  opened  their  gates  to 
him  ;  the  duchy  of  Aquitaine  was  returning,  it  was  said, 
to  the  crown.  Edward  I.,  however,  had  commenced  his 
preparations  for  reclaiming  his  provinces  by  force  of  arms. 

The  English  ships  were  about  to  weigh  anchor,  when  a 
violent  insurrection  broke  out  in  Wales.  The  king  de- 
spatched a  little  body  of  troops  into  Gascony,  sent  his  fleet 
to  hover  round  the  coasts  and  seize  all  the  French  ships 


Chap.  X.]   malleus  SCO TORUM,— EDWARD  L  249 


which  might  come  in  their  way,  and  despatched  the 
greater  portion  of  his  forces  to  Wales.  In  spite  of  the 
winter,  the  snow,  the  mountains,  the  impenetrable  forests, 
and  the  obstinacy  of  the  insurgents,  Edward  pursued  his 
enemies  in  all  directions,  and  contrived  to  subdue  them. 
Madoc,  the  ringleader,  laid  down  his  arms ;  the  most 
intractable  chiefs  were  sentenced  to  be  imprisoned  for  life, 
and  the  king,  triumphant,  left  Wales  to  embark  for  France. 
The  Scotch  did  not  allow  him  time,  however,  to  accomplish 
his  intention. 

Since  Edward  had  placed  the  feeble  Baliol  upon  the 
throne  of  Scotland,  he  had  spared  him  no  humiliation. 
Every  time  that  a  petitioner,  dissatisfied  with  the  justice 
of  the  King  of  Scotland,  thought  proper  to  appeal  to  the 
liege  lord,  Edward  would  summon  Baliol  to  appear  at  his 
court  to  render  an  account  of  his  judgment,  and  this 
summons  was  repeated  four  times  during  the  first  year  of 
his  reign.  At  length,  in  1293,  in  the  matter  of  a  com- 
plaint of  the  Earl  of  Fife,  Baliol,  who  was  tired  of  these 
proceedings,  declared  that  the  question  concerned  his 
subjects,  and  that  he  could  not  reply  to  the  appeal  without 
consulting  his  people.  "What!"  cried  Edward;  "you 
are  my  vassal,  you  have  done  homage  to  me,  and  it  is  to 
answer  to  me  for  your  acts  that  you  are  here."  Baliol 
persisted ;  the  English  Parliament  condemned  his  conduct, 
and  King  Edward  only  consented  to  retard  by  some 
months  the  pronouncing  of  the  sentence.  In  the  interval, 
the  difficulty  about  Guicnne  occurred,  and  King  Edward, 
occupied  with  his  struggles  against  his  own  liege  lord, 
soon  learnt  that  his  vassal,  the  King  of  Scotland,  led  on 
by  the  national  movement  in  his  country,  had  contracted 
with  King  Philip  an  alliance  cemented  by  a  promise  of 
marriage  between  his  young  son  Edward  and  Jane  of 
Valois,  niece  of  the  King  of  P^rance.    A  short  time  before, 


250 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.         [Chap.  X. 


the  Parliament  of  Scotland  had  decided  on  sending  back 
all  the  Englishmen  employed  at  the  court  and  formed  a 
council  consisting  of  four  earls,  four  bishops,  and  four 
barons,  who  were  entrusted  with  the  management  of  the 
affairs  of  the  kingdom.  Baliol  was  held  by  his  subjects  in 
a  kind  of  captivity. 

The  suspicions  w^hich  King  Edward  had  conceived, 
and  which  had  kept  him  in  England,  while  he  sent  his 
brother  into  Guienne,  were  soon  justified.  The  Scotch 
invaded  the  county  of  Cumberland  with  a  large  army, 
but  were  easily  repulsed.  Edward  soon  advanced  towards 
the  frontier,  marching  first  of  all  against  Berwick.  He 
attacked  the  town  by  land  and  sea,  and  all  resistance  was 
useless.  The  king,  mounted  upon  his  horse  Bayard,  was 
the  first  to  spring  across  the  dyke  which  protected  the 
town.  A  fearful  massacre  took  place  ;  neither  age  nor 
sex  excited  any  pity.  It  was  on  the  30th  of  March, 
1296.  On  the  5th  of  April,  the  abbot  of  Arbroath  pre- 
sented himself  at  the  English  camp  ;  he  brought  Baliol's 
renunciation  of  all  homage  towards  the  King  of  England. 
Edward  had  a  short  time  before  addressed  a  similar  com- 
munication to  Philip,  king  of  France  ;  but  this  coincidence 
did  not  appease  his  anger.  Ah  !  then  the  scoundrel  has 
dared  to  defy  me  !"  he  cried ;  if  he  will  not  come  to  us, 
we  will  go  to  him."  And  he  marched  forward,  taking 
possession  on  his  way  of  the  castles  which  resisted  him. 
Dunbar,  Roxburgh,  Dunbarton,  Jedburgh,  Edinburgh, 
Stirling,  had  already  fallen  into  Edward's  hands,  when  a 
fresh  message  from  Baliol  was  brought  to  him.  He 
humbly  begged  for  peace.  The  king  did  not  do  his 
revolted  vassal  the  honor  of  treating  him  as  a  sovereign 
and  of  negotiating  personally  with  him;  he  ordered 
l^aliol  to  proceed  to  the  castle  of  Brechin,  to  which  place 
he  despatched  the  Bishop  of  Durham.    A  few  days  later. 


Chap.  X.]    MAT  r  EUS  SCO  TORUM.— EDWARD  L  251 


on  the  7th  of  June,  1296,  Baliol,  deprived  of  all  his  regal 
insignia,  with  a  white  rod  in  his  hand,  presented  himself 
at  the  cemetery  of  Strathkathro,  in  the  county  of  Angus, 
acknowledging  that  he  had  violated  all  his  obligations 
towards  his  liege  lord,  who  had  very  justly  invaded  his 
fief.  After  this  act  of  self-abasement  and  renunciation, 
tired,  he  said,  of  the  malice  and  ingratitude  of  men,  he 
was  sent  to  the  Tower  in  honorable  captivity,  and  subse- 
quently ended  his  life  in  his  domains  of  Normandy,  for- 
gotten or  despised  by  all. 

Robert  Bruce  at  once  claimed  the  crown.  Do  you 
think  that  I  have  nothing  else  to  do  but  to  conquer  king- 
doms for  you  ?"  King  Edward  harshly  replied  ;  and  he 
marched  towards  the  north,  receiving  everywhere  the 
homage  of  the  Scotch  nobility.  He  had  convened  a 
Parliament  at  Berwick;  he  proceeded  there  on  the  28th  of 
August,  in  order  to  arrange  the  government  of  his  new 
acquisition.  He  displayed  on  this  occasion  great  prudence 
and  moderation ;  he  returned  to  the  Church  all  property 
which  had  been  confiscated  from  it,  and  left  the  inferior 
offices  in  the  hands  of  the  functionaries  who  occupied 
them ;  but  the  guardianship  of  the  castles  was  confided  to 
the  English.  Warren,  earl  of  Surrey,  was  nominated 
governor;  Hugh  de  Cressingliam,  treasurer  ;  and  William 
Ormesby,  chief  justicier.  Scotland  was  treated  as  a  con- 
quered country.  King  Edward  now  thought  himself  at 
leisure  to  devote  his  attention  to  his  affairs  in  France  and 
to  prepare  to  cross  the  Channel. 

The  allies  of  England  upon  the  Continent  were  in 
urgent  need  of  his  help.  The  Earl  of  Bar,  the  son-in-law 
of  Edward,  had  been  defeated  and  made  a  prisoner  in  an 
attempt  against  Champagne,  and  his  wife,  being  unable  to 
regain  her  liberty,  had  died  of  grief  Guy,  count  of 
Flanders,  had  been  attracted  to  Paris  under  false  pretences, 


252 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.         [Chap.  X. 


together  with  his  wife  and  his  daughter  PhiHppa,  who  was 
affianced  to  Prince  Edward  of  England  ;  all  three  had 
been  thrown  into  prison,  and,  although  the  count  succeeded 
in  buying  his  freedom,  he  had  been  compelled  to  leave  his 
daughter  in  the  hands  of  Philip  the  Fair,  who  denied  the 
right  of  vassals  to  give  their  daughters  in  marriage  without 
the  authority  of  their  lord. 

King  Edward  would  have  had  great  difficulty  in  help- 
ing his  foreign  allies,  for  he  was  engaged  in  a  struggle 
against  his  English  subjects.  The  conquest  of  the  countries 
of  Wales  and  Scotland  had  required  great  efforts,  and  the 
nation  had  borne  its  heavy  burdens  without  murmuring. 
In  1295,  however,  on  a  demand  of  the  king,  who  required 
one-half  of  their  revenues,  the  clergy  appealed  to  Pope 
Boniface  VIII.,  who  issued  a  bull  in  their  favor.  But  the 
ecclesiastical  thunders  had  begun  to  lose  their  terrors ; 
Edward  had  seized  upon  the  property  of  the  clergy,  and 
the  bishops  had  ended  by  giving  in.  The  merchants  and 
citizens  were  more  obstinate  than  the  priests,  and  when 
the  king,  in  1297,  conceived  the  idea  of  imposing  an  enor- 
mous tax  upon  every  bale  of  wool,  making  at  the  same 
time  large  requisitions  for  grain,  the  complaints  became 
loud.  From  remonstrance,  the  people  had  arrived  at 
overt  resistance,  when  the  king  seized  at  all  the  ports  the 
wool  and  skins  intended  for  exportation,  and  sold  them 
for  his  own  benefit.  The  merchants  met  together,  pro- 
tested against  this  evil  toll,"  as  they  called  it,  and 
declared  that  the  Magna  Charta  ordered  that  the  English 
people  were  not  to  be  taxed  without  their  own  consent. 
A  certain  number  of  powerful  noblemen  supported  the 
citizens  in  this  movement. 

King  Edward  had  raised  two  armies  :  one  was  to  march 
to  Guienne,  and  the  other  to  Flanders,  to  help  the  Count 
Guy,  who  was  anxious  to  avenge  his  injuries  on  King 


Chap.  X.]    MALLEUS  SCOTORUM,—EDWA RD  /,  253 


Philip.  Edmund,  King  Edward's  brother,  had  died  in 
Guienne.  The  king  himseh*  reckoned  upon  commanding 
the  expedition  in  Flanders.  He  summoned  to  Salisbury 
Humphrey  Bohun,  earl  of  Hereford  and  constable  of 
England,  and  Roger  Bigod,  earl  of  Norfolk,  field- marshal, 
to  entrust  to  them  the  command  of  the  army  of  Guienne. 
Both  replied  that  their  offices  compelled  them  to  remain 
near  the  king's  person  during  the  war,  and  that  they 
would  not  proceed  to  Guienne  without  him.  By 
the  Lord  God  Almighty,  my  lord  earl cried  Edward, 
addressing  himself  to  Bigod,  You  shall  go,  or  you  shall 
be  hanged."  "  By  the  Lord  God  Almighty,  Sire  king," 
replied  the  proud  baron,  calmly,  I  shall  not  go,  neither 
shall  I  be  hanged."  And  both  retired  to  their  estates, 
immediately  followed  by  thirty  bannerets  and  by  fifteen 
hundred  knights,  who  everywhere  created  an  opposition  to 
the  levying  of  the  taxes. 

The  king  was  in  an  awkward  position.  He  convoked 
in  London  a  popular  assembly,  having  taken  care  first  of 
all  to  become  reconciled  with  the  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury, Winchelsea,  who  had  been  the  prime  mover  in  the 
resistance  of  the  clergy,  and  had  found  himself  deprived 
of  all  his  revenues  in  consequence  ;  then,  accompanied  by 
the  prelate,  the  Earl  of  Warwick,  and  Prince  Edward,  the 
king  appealed  directly  to  the  people,  assuring  them  that 
nothing  was  more  disagreeable  to  him  than  to  impose 
heavy  burdens  upon  his  well-beloved  subjects ;  but  that 
he  had  been  compelled  to  do  so  in  order  to  defend  them 
against  the  Scotch,  the  Welsh,  and  the  French.  I  am 
now  going  to  expose  myself  for  you  to  the  risks  of  war," 
said  he  ;  if  I  return  alive,  I  will  repay  you  for  everything  ; 
if  I  should  die,  there  is  my  son  :  place  liim  upon  the 
throne,  and  his  gratitude  will  reward  your  fidelity."  The 
king  was  weeping,  and  all  tliose  who  were  present  were 


254  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.         [Chap.  X. 

profoundly  touched.  Prince  Edward  was  declared  regent 
amid  public  acclamation  ;  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury 
was  nominated  as  his  adviser,  and  the  king  marched 
towards  the  coast.  He  had  only  arrived  at  Winchester, 
when  he  was  stopped,  on  the  I2th  of  August,  by  a  remon- 
strance from  the  prelates,  the  earls,  the  barons,  and  the 
commoners  of  England,  declaring  that  they  were  not 
obliged  to  accompany  him  into  Flanders,  their  ancestors 
not  having  served  the  kings  of  England  in  that  country ; 
and  they  added  that,  even  were  they  so  disposed,  the 
poverty  to  which  they  had  been  reduced  did  not  allow 
them  to  do  so.  The  king,"  they  said,  "had  already 
violated  on  several  occasions  the  charters  which  he  had 
solemnly  ratified  ;  his  *  evil  toll  '  was  intolerable,  and  his 
absence  was  about  to  leave  the  country  a  prey  to  the 
invasions  of  the  Scotch  and  the  Welsh."  The  king  made 
an  evasive  reply  to  this  declaration  ;  reckoning  upon  the 
affection  of  the  common  people,  he  made  sail  with  the 
troops  who  remained  with  him,  and  disembarked  at  Sluys 
towards  the  end  of  August. 

Scarcely  had  Edward  left  the  coasts  of  England  when 
Bigod  and  Bohun  entered  London,  on  the  24th  of  August, 
at  the  head  of  considerable  forces.  The  strictest  disci- 
pline prevailed  in  the  ranks  of  their  followers.  They  went 
straight  to  the  treasury,  and  deposited  their  complaints 
against  the  arbitrary  exactions  and  the  violations  of 
Magna  Charta  committed  by  the  king  ;  then,  proceeding  to 
Guildhall,  they  exhorted  the  citizens  of  London  to  main- 
tain their  rights.  The  young  regent,  being  alarmed,  con- 
voked a  Parliament,  which  abolished  the  impost  upon 
wool,  and  decreed  that  no  tax  whatever  should  in  future 
be  raised  without  the  consent  of  the  bishops,  peers,  citizens, 
and  freemen  of  the  kingdom,  and  that  the  king  should  not 
seize  upon  any  goods  without  the  authority  of  the  owners. 


Chap.  X  ]    MALLEUS  SCO TORUM— EDWARD  L  255 


Orders  were  sent  out  to  read  the  Magna  Charta  in  all  the 
churches  once  a  year,  under  pain  of  excommunication 
against  those  who  should  endeavor  to  prevent  it.  This 
law  was  to  be  proclaimed  every  Sunday  in  all  the 
churches. 

The  act,  signed  in  London,  was  sent  to  Ghent,  where 
King  Edward  was  at  the  time.  They  demanded  that  it 
should  be  ratified.  The  barons  undertook  to  join  the  king 
in  Flanders,  or  to  march  against  Scotland,  where  the 
people  had  again  risen,  according  to  his  pleasure.  During 
three  days,  the  pride  of  Kmg  Edward  resisted  ;  at  length 
he  signed  the  document,  promising  himself  to  make  all 
his  concessions  void  afterwards.  As  soon  as  they  were 
secure  in  their  victory,  the  barons  set  out  for  Scotland. 

Edward  needed  the  support  and  good  will  of  his  English 
subjects,  for  he  had  gained  but  little  success  in  Flanders. 
After  having  with  difficulty  quelled  the  violent  rivalries 
which  had  occurred  in  his  fleet  between  the  sailors  of  the 
different  ports,  he  had  found  a  great  number  of  Flemish 
towns  occupied  by  the  French,  supported  by  a  party 
powerful  in  tiie  country  itself  The  Count  Guy  had  again 
fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  King  of  France.  The  Flemish 
and  English  would  often  engage  in  struggles  against  each 
other,  after  having  fought  together  against  the  French  ; 
Edward's  foreign  allies,  the  Emperor,  the  Duke  of  Austria, 
and  the  Duke  of  Brabant,  sent  no  help,  believing  they  had 
done  their  share  in  receiving  the  subsidies  of  England. 
King  Edward  listened  to  the  overtures  of  Pope  Boniface 
VIII.,  who  was  endeavoring  to  re-establish  peace.  He 
left  Guy  of  Flanders  in  prison,  where  the  latter,  as  well  as 
his  daughter,  afterwards  died.  Me  affianced  his  son 
Edward  to  Isabel  of  France,  thus  laying  the  foundation  of 
the  misfortune  of  his  lifetime,  and  himself  married  Princess 
Margaret,  who  was  then  seventeen  years  of  age,  content- 


256 


HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND. 


[Chap.  X. 


ing  himself  with  recovering  Aquitaine,  while  Guienne  still 
remained  in  the  hands  of  Philip  the  Fair.  Peace  being 
thus  concluded,  Edward  started  on  his  return  to  his  king- 
dom, \¥here  the  position  of  affairs  imperatively  required 
his  presence. 

The  great  Scotch  noblemen  had  taken  the  oath  of  alle- 
giance to  the  King  of  England,  but  the  less  powerful  ones 
had  not  liad  the  honor  of  accomplishing  that  act  of  sub- 
mission. Sir  Malcolm  Wallace,  of  Ellerslie,  had  not 
taken  the  oath,  nor  had  his  second  son,  William  Wallace, 
who  was  already  outlawed  for  the  murder  of  an  English 
soldier  in  consequence  of  a  dispute.  He  had  lived  since 
then  in  the  mountains  ;  but,  having  one  day  appeared  at 
the  market  in  Lanark,  he  was  insulted  by  an  Englishman, 
whom  he  killed.  He  found  a  friendly  shelter,  and  con- 
trived to  escape ;  but  the  house  which  had  protected  him 
was  burnt,  and  the  mistress  of  it  lost  her  life.  Wallace 
swore  to  wreak  a  terrible  revenge  upon  the  English. 

Soon,  all  the  adventurers,  outlaws,  and  bold  spirits, 
weary  of  subjection,  rallied  round  Wallace.  At  the 
moment  when  King  Edward  started  for  Flanders,  the 
Scottish  leader  had  already  become  a  dangerous  partisan, 
attacking  the  English  when  he  met  them  in  small  numbers, 
and  plundering  the  country  under  their  authority.  His 
forces  were  increasing  in  number  ;  many  noblemen  had 
joined  him,  and  were  raising  their  standards  in  favor  of 
John,  king  of  Scotland.  A  certain  number  of  powerful 
noblemen  followed  them.  Robert  Bruce  himself,  grand- 
son of  him  who  had  contested  the  crown  against  Baliol, 
had  come  over  to  the  national  party.  The  Pope  will 
absolve  me  from  all  the  oaths  which  I  have  involuntarily 
sworn  in  favor  of  King  Edward,''  said  the  future  deliverer 
of  Scotland.  The  Earl  of  Surrey  was  raising  forces  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  kingdom. 


Chap.  X.]    MALLEUS  SCO TORUM.— EDWARD  L  257 


When  the  two  armies  came  in  sight  of  each  other,  near 
the  town  of  Irvine,  in  the  county  of  Ayr,  they  were  about 
equal  in  numbers ;  but  thic  English  troops  were  well 
drilled  and  obedient  to  a  single  general ;  Wa.llace's  army 
vvas  disorderly,  divided,  led  by  rival  chiefs,  and  little  dis- 
posed to  admit  the  superiority  of  an  outlaw  of  low  origin. 
No  encounter  took  place.  On  the  9th  of  July,  the  great 
Scotch  noblemen  laid  down  their  arms  and  tendered  their 
submission  to  King  Edward.  One  baron  alone,  Sir 
Andrew  Moray  of  Bothwell,  remained  faithful  to  the 
national  party  ;  but  Wallace  took  with  him  a  large  number 
of  vassals  of  the  noblemen  who  had  surrendered,  and  his 
raids  upon  the  territory  occupied  by  the  English  became 
bolder  and  bolder  every  day. 

Stirling  was  seriously  threatened  by  the  insurgents, 
when  the  Earls  of  Surrey  and  Cressingham  advanced  with 
large  forces.  The  two  parties  occupied  the  opposite  banks 
of  the  Forth  ;  Wallace's  position  was  excellent,  and  he 
was  offered  terms.  Tell  your  masters,"  he  replied  to 
the  envoy,  that  we  are  not  here  to  parley,  but  to  assert 
our  rights  and  to  deliver  Scotland.  Let  them  advance, 
we  are  ready."  The  English  hesitated.  Surrey  deemed 
the  attack  dangerous,  but  Cressingham,  like  a  true  finan- 
cier, was  complaining  loudly  of  the  ravages  made  upon 
the  king's  treasury  by  an  arm.y  which  did  not  fight,  and 
the  general  yielded.  At  daybreak,  on  the  i  ith  of  Septem- 
ber, 1297,  the  English  army  began  marching  across  the 
bridge.  It  was  narrow,  and  the  soldiers  passed  over  it 
slowly.  When  one  portion  of  the  army  had  crossed, 
Wallace  caused  the  bridge  to  be  occupied  by  a  detach- 
ment, and  he  attacked  the  English,  who  had  not  yet  had 
time  to  form  in  order  of  battle.  The  slaughter  was  fearful. 
Among  the  dead  bodies  was  found  Cressingham,  who 

was  odious  to  the  Scotch  by  reason  of  the  severity  of  his 
17 


258 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


[Chap.  X. 


administration.  His  savage  enemies  flayed  him,  in  order 
to  preserve  his  skin  in  remembrance  of  their  revenge. 
Surrey  retreated  with  the  remainder  of  his  forces.  But 
Wallace's  success  had  delivered  Scotland  for  the  time 
being  ;  the  castles  were  surrendering  in  every  direction ; 
the  popular  champion  entered  Northumberland  and  pil- 
laged the  English  territory,  while  famine  kept  him  away 
from  Scotland.  Wlien  he  reappeared  in  his  country, 
laden  with  plunder,  an  assembly  of  noblemen  awarded  to 
him  the  title  of  governor  of  the  kingdom  and  commander- 
in-chief  of  King  John's  forces.  Baliol,  still  imprisoned  in 
England,  smiled  bitterly  at  this  use  of  his  name. 

Meanwhile,  King  Edward  had  recrossed  the  sea,  and 
his  orders  for  the  levying  of  a  large  army  had  preceded 
him.  In  the  eyes  of  the  conqueror  of  Scotland  the  in- 
surrection led  by  Wallace  was  a  rebellion,  not  a  patriotic 
movement.  Scarcely  had  he  set  foot  in  England  than  he 
marched  towards  the  North.  Having  halted  for  a  while 
at  York,  where  he  was  to  have  convened  a  Parliament,  the 
barons  who  had  formerly  placed  themselves  at  the  head 
of  the  popular  resistance  came  and  met  him  to  demand 
the  ratification  of  the  concessions  granted  at  Ghent.  By 
and  by,"  cried  Edward ;  1  have  no  leisure  time  just 
now  ;  I  must  first  of  all  reduce  the  Scotch  rebels  to 
obedience."  And  lie  swore  before  three  bishops  that  he 
w^ould  occupy  himself  with  the  liberties  of  his  English 
subjects  when  he  should  have  riveted  the  chains  of  his 
Scottish  subjects.  Bigod  and  Bohun  were  satisfied  with 
this  promise,  and  followed  him  into  Scotland. 

The  king's  vessels  were  delayed.  He  was  detained 
between  Edinburgh  and  Linlithgow,  when  an  insurrection 
broke  out  in  his  camp.  The  Welsh  troops  threatened  to 
leave  him  and  to  go  over  to  the  Scotch.  I  care  little," 
said  Edward,  ''if  my  enemies  join  my  enemies;  I  will 


Chap.  X.]    MALLEUS  SCOTORUM,— EDWARD  L  259 


punish  them  all  in  one  day.''  The  provisions  began  to 
run  short,  and  a  retreat  was  spoken  of,  when  the  Bishop 
of  Durham  was  warned,  on  the  loth  of  July,  1298,  that 
the  Scotch  army  was  encamped  in  the  forest  of  Falkirk, 
and  was  preparing  to  attack  the  English  troops.  Glory 
be  to  God,"  cried  Edward.  "  He  has  delivered  me  up  to 
the  present  from  all  dangers.  They  need  not  follow  me, 
for  I  will  go  to  them."  And,  raising  his  camp,  he  marched 
against  the  Scotch  troops.  It  is  related  that,  during  the 
night  before  the  battle,  being  asleep  by  the  side  of  his 
horse,  the  king  had  two  ribs  broken  by  a  kick  from  the 
animal.  This  circumstance  created  a  profound  sensation 
throughout  the  army ;  it  was  said  that  the  king  v/as  dying 
through  some  treachery.  Edward  donned  his  armor, 
mounted  his  horse,  and  continued  the  march.  The 
Scotch  army  was  at  length  in  sight.  In  front  of  them 
was  a  marsh,  and  the  archers  and  pikemen  were  protected 
by  a  palisade.  When  Wallace  saw  the  lances  of  the 
enemy  glistening  in  the  sun,  he  called  out  to  his  men,  "  I 
have  led  you  to  the  dance,  now  hop  if  you  can."  The 
Scottish  infantry  valiantly  withstood  the  shock  of  the  two 
army  corps  led  by  Bigod,  Bohun,  and  the  bellicose  Bishop 
of  Durham,  but  the  cavalry  were  terrified  on  seeing  the 
superior  forces  of  the  English,  and  fled  in  confusion.  The 
pikemen  and  archers  began  to  give  way  ;  the  palisades 
were  trampled  down,  and  the  victory  was  complete.  The 
field  of  the  battle  of  Falkirk  was  strewn  with  the  corpses 
of  the  Scottish  soldiers,  when  Wallace  contrived  to  fall 
back  upon  Stirling  with  the  remainder  of  his  army.  The 
English  followed  him  there ;  but  they  found  the  town 
burnt.  Wallace  had  disappeared.  King  Edward  was 
desolating  the  country  by  fire  and  sword ;  the  inhabitants 
of  the  towns  were  flying  at  his  approach ;  St.  Andrew's 
was  deserted  when  the  king  set  fire  to  it.    The  citizens  of 


26o 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  X. 


Perth  burnt  their  own  town.  Provisions  were  now  scarce  ; 
Edward  was  obHged  to  retreat  towards  the  end  of  Sep- 
tember, 1298,  leaving  all  the  north  of  Scotland  in  the 
hands  of  the  patriots,  who  had  just  constituted  a  council 
of  the  regency,  at  the  head  of  which  was  John  Comyn. 
Scarcely  had  the  king  crossed  the  frontier  when  his  en- 
emies threatened  Stirling  Castle. 

Other  troubles  awaited  Edward  in  England  ;  he  had  con- 
voked the  Parliament  at  Westminster  for  the  month  of 
March,  1299;  the  barons  claimed  the  fulfilment  of  his 
promises,  and  the  ratification  of  the  nev/  liberties  added  by 
them  to  the  Magna  Charta.  The  king  still  delayed,  deny- 
ing the  validity  of  a  confirmation  made  in  a  foreign  coun- 
try ;  he  experienced,  he  said,  displeasure  at  finding  him- 
self thus  pressed  to  grant  a  favor  against  his  inclination. 
The  barons,  however,  insisting,  the  king  left  London, 
almost  secretly,  and  went  into  the  country  under  pre- 
tence of  being  indisposed ;  the  barons  followed  him  there, 
renewing  their  demands.  At  length  the  king,  wearied  of 
this,  sent  to  the  Parliament  the  required  ratification  ;  but, 
w^ith  a  puerile  want  of  good  faith,  he  added  to  the  concessions 
so  hardly  won  this  little  sentence:  ''Saving  the  rights  of 
the  crown."  The  barons,  indignant,  left  London  in  their 
turn,  but  to  prepare  for  resistance.  The  king  still  reckoned 
upon  the  devotion  of  the  people  of  the  city  ;  he  ordered 
the  sheriffs  to  cause  the  charter  to  be  read  at  the  cross 
of  St.  Paul's ;  an  immense  crowd  was  assembled,  hailing 
with  applause  each  of  the  clauses  which  guaranteed  the 
rights  of  the  people ;  but  when  the  reader  came  to  the 
phrase,  ''  Saving  the  rights  of  the  crown,"  his  voice  was 
drowned  by  whistling,  shouting,  and  loud  menaces. 
Edward  was  too  shrewd  and  sagacious  to  resist  the  will  of 
the  people  when  expressed  in  such  an  unmistakable  man- 
ner ;  he  convened  a  fresh  Parliament,  solemnly  ratified  all 


Chap.  X.]    MALLEUS  SCOTORUM.^EDWA RD  T.  261 


the  concessions,  without  mentioning  the  rights  of  the  crown, 
and  nominated  a  commission  of  three  bishops,  three  earls, 
and  three  barons,  to  prepare  a  charter  Hmiting  the  royal 
forests,  which  had  hitherto  been  extended  at  times  into 
private  property.  This  charter  was  ratified  in  the  year 
1300.  Bohun  had  just  died  ;  but  Bigod  was  still  alive,  and 
the  victory  was  definitively  assured  to  the  Barons,  in  spite 
of  the  efforts  which  the  king  was  still  making  to  deliver 
himself  from  a  yoke  which  was  insupportable  to  his  haughty 
character  and  his  ambitious  projects. 

The  marriage  of  King  Edward  with  Margaret  of  France 
had  taken  place,  as  had  also  his  son's  betrothal  to  Isabel 
(September,  I29g\  and  two  little  incursions  into  Scotland 
liad  produced  no  other  result  tlian  an  intervention  on  the 
part  of  Pope  Boniface  VITI.  in  favor  of  the  Scotch,  by 
virtue  of  the  rights  which  he  claimed  over  tliat  kingdom. 
Although  haughtily  refusing  to  recognize  this  strange  pre- 
tension, the  King  of  England  had  three  times  granted  a 
truce  to  the  insurgents.  The  tliird  had  just  expired,  when 
the  treaty  of  Montreuil,  made  between  England  and  France 
on  the  30th  of  May,  1303,  gave  up  Guicnne  to  Edward,  who 
abandoned  his  Flemish  allies  as  Philip  the  Fair  did  his 
Scottish  allies.  Freed  from  care  on  the  score  of  continen- 
tal affairs,  Edward,  on  the  day  following  the  ratification 
of  the  treaty,  marched  into  Scotland.  Pie  was  already  at 
Edinburgh  on  the  4tli  of  June,  and  his  progress  across  the 
northern  counties  resembled  a  triumphal  march  ;  all  the 
fortresses  opened  their  gates  ;  Buchan  Castle  alone  remain- 
ed closed.  While  the  English  were  attacking.  Sir  Thomas 
Maule,  tlie  governor,  was  marching  up  and  down  the  ram- 
parts, with  a  handkerchief  in  his  hand,  wiping  off  the  dust 
raised  by  the  battering-rams.  On  the  twentieth  day  of 
the  seige  he  was  struck  with  an  arrow,  and,  when  dying, 
stigmatized  the  soldiers  as  cowards,  who  were  asking  per- 


262 


mSTORF   OF  ENGLAND. 


[Chap.  X. 


mission  of  him  to  surrender.  Scarcely  had  the  vahant 
champion  breathed  his  last  when  his  castle  was  given  up  to 
the  English  forces.  The  king  established  himself  in  win- 
ter quarters  in  the  abbey  of  Dunfermline,  and  it  was  there 
that  the  Scotch  barons  came  to  negotiate  for  peace  ;  each 
one  had  drawn  up  his  own  conditions.  Wallace  had  dis- 
appeared since  the  battle  of  Falkirk  ;  the  noblemen  had 
supplanted  him  in  the  government  of  the  country,  which 
he  had  delivered  without  their  aid.  The  king  caused  a 
proclamation  to  be  made  that  the  outlaAv  should  surrender 
at  discretion.  Wallace,  however,  took  no  notice,  but 
remained  in  the  mountains.  The  Castle  of  Stirling  now 
alone  offered  any  resistance,  in  spite  of  the  injunctions  of 
the  Scottish  Parliament  assembled  by  Edward.  Sir  Wil- 
liam Ohphant,  who  commanded  it,  w^as  compelled  to  sur- 
render on  the  26th  of  July,  1304. 

A  last  blow  was  about  to  strike  the  patriotic  party  in 
Scotland.  Wallace,  betrayed  by  his  friend  Monteith,  was 
delivered  into  the  hands  of  the  English  in  the  month  of 
August,  1305.  King  Edward  had  not  the  generosity  to 
pardon  the  proud  patriot  who  had  so  long  resisted  him. 
Wallace  had  broken  no  oath;  he  had  never  sworn  allegiance 
to  King  Edward,  and  he  had  fought  for  the  independence 
of  his  country,  but  he  was  nevertheless  condemned  to  suf- 
fer a  traitor's  death.  He  was  executed  at  Smithfield,  on 
the  23rd  of  August,  and  the  portions  of  his  dismembered 
body  were  sent  to  different  towns  in  Scotland,  wliere,  how- 
ever, the  people  were  more  inclined  to  treat  them  as  sacred 
reUcs  than  to  consider  them  as  emblems  of  disgrace.  Wal- 
lace had  kindled  a  fire  which  was  not  destined  to  die  out, 
and  it  was  in  vain  that  Edward  had  thought  to  stifle  it 
by  severe  punishment. 

Scarcely  had  the  government  of  Scotland  been  consti- 
tuted by  a  commission  of  prelates  and  Scottish  barons, 


Chap.  X.]    MALLEUS  SCOTORUM,— EDWARD  L  263 


pursuing  their  labors  in  London  in  conjunction  with  the 
English  members  of  Parliament,  when  a  fresh  insurrection 
broke  out  in  Scotland.  A  new  chief  presented  himself  for 
the  cause  of  independence,  one  who  was  destined  to 
achieve  the  task  begun  by  Wallace  ;  it  was  Robert  Bruce, 
Earl  of  Carrick. 

For  a  long  time  Bruce  had  vacillated  between  the  two 
parties ;  having  been  engaged  during  his  youth  in  the 
service  of  Edward  by  his  father,  he  had  sworn  allegiance, 
then  violated  his  oath,  but  finally  determined  to  observe 
his  old  professions.  After  the  fall  of  Baliol,  he  had  pro- 
posed to  Comyn,  surnamed  the  Red,  a  powerful  Scottish 
lord,  and  one  of  his  neighbors,  that  whichever  of  the  two 
should  establish  his  claim  to  the  crown  should  bequeath 
the  kingdom  to  the  other  as  an  indemnity.  Comyn  had 
pretended  to  accept  the  bargain,  but  had  secretly  warned 
Edward  of  the  conspiracy.  Bruce,  who  was  in  England, 
was  about  to  be  arrested,  in  spite  of  his  kinship  to  the 
royal  family  (he  had  married  Joan  of  Valence,  Edward's 
cousin),  when  Gilbert  de  Clare  sent  a  pair  of  spurs  to  him 
by  a  messenger.  Bruce  took  the  hint  and  imm.ediiitely 
mounted  his  horse ;  he  did  not  know  what  danger 
threatened  him,  or  who  had  betrayed  him,  yet  he  was 
careful  to  conceal  his  traces.  Meeting  with  a  servant  of 
Comyn,  who  was  carrying  fresh  communications  to 
Edward,  he  seized  the  missives  and  assured  himself  of 
Comyn's  treachery,  then  hastened  back  to  Scotland.  A 
few  days  later,  on  the  loth  of  February,  1306,  these  two 
enemies  met  at  Dumfries,  and  Bruce  called  Comyn  into  a 
chapel  of  the  Minorites,  in  order  to  demand  an  explanation 
of  his  conduct.  They  were  alone  ;  the  dispute  became 
furious.  Bruce  drew  his  dagger  and  struck  Comyn,  who 
fell  upon  the  steps  of  the  high  altar.  Pale  and  agitated, 
Bruce  left  the  chapel  hurriedly  ;  his  haggard  appearance 


264 


HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND,        [Chap.  X. 


struck  his  friends  who  were  in  attendance  upon  him. 

What  have  you  done  Fitz-Patrick  of  Colesburn 
asked  him.  I  think  I  have  killed  Comyn."  "You 
think  ?"  cried  Fitz-Patrick,  "  then  I  will  make  sure  of  it." 
And,  re-entering  the  holy  place,  he  struck  the  wounded 
man  another  blow ;  killed  the  latter's  uncle,  Sir  Robert 
Comyn,  who  tried  to  defend  his  nephew,  and  returned  to 
Bruce,  The  little  band  hurried  away  at  a  gallop.  Bruce 
had  only  one  course  before  him  now  ;  he  was  henceforth 
an  outlaw,  and  the  boldest  action  became  necessary.  But 
the  fire  was  smouldering  in  all  the  noble  hearts  of  Scot- 
land. As  soon  as  Bruce  raised  the  standard  of  indepen- 
dence, some  priests  and  lords  gathered  round  him  and 
boldly  crowned  him  at  Scone.  On  the  day  of  the 
Annunciation  (1306)  Scotland  had  a  king;  Edward  1. 
heard  of  it  at  Winchester  a  few  days  later. 

In  the  eyes  of  the  King  of  England  Bruce  was  a  rebel, 
and  was,  moreover,  a  man  who  must  be  punished  for 
having  committed  sacrilege  ;  he  sent  a  small  army  into 
Scotland  under  the  command  of  the  Earl  of  Pembroke, 
and,  tired  and  sick  as  he  was,  began  to  make  extensive 
preparations  for  marching  personally  against  the  insurgents. 
Prince  Edward,  his  son,  was  twenty-two  years  of  age,  and 
had  not  yet  been  knighted.  On  the  23rd  of  May,  during 
Whitsuntide,  tlie  young  man,  having  received  his  spurs 
from  the  hands  of  his  father,  conferred  the  same  distinction 
upon  two  hundred  and  seventy  young  lords,  companions 
of  his  pleasures,  who  were  about  to  become  his  comrades 
in  arms.  All  the  company  then  met  at  a  magnificent 
banc|uet ;  a  golden  filet  was  brought  upon  a  table,  con- 
taining two  swans,  emblems  of  constancy  and  fidelity ; 
then  the  king,  placing  his  hand  upon  their  heads,  swore  to 
avenge  the  death  of  Comyn  and  to  punish  the  rebels  of 
Scotland,  without  sleeping  for  two  nights  in  the  same  place, 


Chap.  X.  ]    MALLEUS  SCO  7^0 R  UAL  —ED  WA  RD  L  265 


and  to  start  immediately  afterwards  for  Palestine  in  order 
to  rescue  the  Holy  Sepulchre.  The  young  men  swore  the 
same  oath  as  the  king,  and  the  latter  made  them  promise 
if  he  should  die  during  the  war  in  Scotland,  not  to  bury 
his  body  until  the  conquest  should  have  been  achieved. 
The  prince  immediately  afterwards  started  for  the  frontiers 
with  his  companions.  The  king  followed  less  rapidl}^,  as  he 
could  only  travel  upon  a  litter. 

Meanwhile  Bruce's  forces  had  increased  rapidly ;  the 
malcontents — and  they  were  very  numerous — were  begin- 
ning to  declare  themselves  and  to  rally  round  the  new 
king.  When  the  Earl  of  Pembroke  arrived  in  Scotland, 
the  insurgents  were  in  high  spirits;  but  a  battle  was 
fought  on  the  19th  of  June,  near  the  woods  of  Methven, 
which  destroyed  their  illusions  ;  many  Scots  were  killed, 
the  prisoners  were  put  to  death,  and  Bruce  retired  into 
the  mountains  of  Athol  with  five  hundred  men.  Too  ill 
to  proceed  further,  Khig  Edward  had  been  obliged  to  stop 
at  Carlisle,  but  he  was  directing  all  the  operations  of  his 
troops,  and  ordering  the  execution  of  the  prisoners,  thus 
bearing  witness  to  his  deep-rooted  resentment  against 
Scotland.  Bruce  was  leading  the  life  of  a  roaming  knight  in 
the  forests,  hunting  and  fishing,  accompanied  only  by  a  few 
faithful  friends  ;  his  wife,  his  two  sisters,  and  the  Countess 
of  Buchan  shared  with  him  his  adventurous  existence, 
which  the  fine  weather  rendered  tolerable,  even  in  Scot- 
land. 

Meanwhile,  winter  was  coming  on,  and  it  became 
necessary  to  seek  more  civilized  quarters.  Bruce's  little 
band  was  attacked  by  Lord  de  Lorn,  a  relation  of  Comyn's, 
and  a  mortal  enemy  of  Bruce.  The  King  of  Scotland's 
-companions  were  falling  under  the  battle-axes  of  Lochaber, 
when  he  sounded  the  retreat,  and,  clad  in  armor  and 
mounted  upon  a  good  war-horse,  took  up  his  position  in  a 


266 


HISTCRY  OF  ENGLAND. 


[Chap.  X. 


defile,  and  defended  the  approach  single-handed.  Lorn's 
mountaineers  hesitated,  being  terrified  at  the  immovable 
countenance,  the  long  sword  always  on  guard,  and  the 
bright  eyes  glistening  under  the  helmet ;  at  length  three 
men,  a  father  and  two  sons,  named  Mac-Androsser, 
famous  in  their  clan  for  their  strength  and  courage,  sprang 
forward  together  upon  the  royal  champion  ;  one  seized 
the  bridle  of  the  horse,  and  his  arm  fell  at  his  side,  his 
hand  being  severed ;  another  fastened  himself  to  the  leg 
of  the  horseman :  the  horse  pranced  about,  and  the 
unhappy  warrior  had  his  head  split  open  by  a  sword-stroke. 
The  father,  who  was  more  skilful,  as  Vv^ell  as  maddened  at 
the  fate  of  his  sons,  clutched  the  king's  cloak  ;  he  was  still 
holding  it  after  his  death,  and  Bruce  was  compelled  to 
leave  in  the  hands  of  the  corpse  this  token  of  the  desperate 
struggle.  The  king  had  retreated  without  being  wounded, 
but  it  was  necessary  to  place  his  wife  and  sisters  in  safety, 
and  the  castle  of  Keldrummie  afforded  them  a  shelter, 
while  Bruce  took  refuge  in  the  Hebrides.  The  separation 
was  doomed  to  be  a  sad  and  long  one,  for  the  castle  was 
taken,  and  Nigel  Bruce,  Robert's  younger  brother,  was 
cruelly  put  to  death.  The  Queen  of  Scotland  was  sent  to 
England,  and  Bruce's  sisters-in-law,  shut  up  in  wooden 
cages,  were  exposed  to  the  public  sight  of  Berwick  and 
Roxburgh.  Every  time  that  any  of  the  adherents  of 
Bruce  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  English  troops  they  were 
put  to  death  ;  the  king  himself,  who  was  now  excom- 
municated and  proscribed,  had  taken  refuge  in  the  little 
island  of  Raclirin.  His  retreat  was  unknown  to  his  enemies, 
and  a  reward  was  offered  in  Scotland  to  whoever  would 
give  news  of  Robert  Bruce,  who  was  lost,  stolen,  or 
strayed." 

It  was  in  the  spring  of  1307,  that  Bruce  suddenly  re- 
appeared, supported  by  some  ships  which  had  been  lent  to 


Chap.  X.]    MALLEUS  SCO  TO:.  VM.  —ED  WARD  L  267 


him  by  Christiana,  Lady  of  the  Isles.  Deceived  by  a  false 
indication,  he  attacked  Henry  Percy,  to  whom  King 
Edward  had  recently  given  the  castle  of  Carriclc, 
Bruce's  own  property  ;  and,  taking  his  enemies  by  sur- 
prise, he  defeated  them,  caused  great  slaughter,  and  re- 
turned in  triumph  to  the  castle,  which  however  he  could  not 
hold  for  any  length  of  time,  surrounded  as  he  was  on  all 
sides,  not  only  by  the  English  forces,  but  by  his  personal 
enemies,  and  all  the  family  of  Comyn. 

The  capture  of  Carrick  Castle  was  nevertheless  Robert's 
first  step  upon  the  ladder  of  fortune  ;  but  yesterday  a 
fugitive,  he  was  now  rejoined  by  his  scattered  supporters : 
after  his  success,  warriors  who  had  previously  been  unde- 
cided, embraced  the  cause  of  Bruce,  whose  forces  became 
so  formidable,  that  Edward,  who  was  furious,  resolved  to 
leave  Carlisle  to  march  in  person  against  tlie  rebels.  He 
caused  his  litter  to  be  hung  up  in  York  cathedral  in 
memory  of  his  sickness,  and  was  about  to  mount  his  horse 
when  he  heard  that  the  Earl  of  Pemibroke  had  been  de- 
feated on  the  lOth  of  May  by  Bruce  at  Loudon  Hill ;  the 
rage  of  the  king  lent  him  strength  for  awhile;  he  started 
out  for  Carlisle  at  the  head  of  a  large  corps ;  but  the 
journey  was  cut  short,  and  he  was  obliged  to  stop.  When 
not  hiore  than  three  leagues  from  Carlisle,  death  came 
and  chilled  the  proud  heart  and  the  indomitable  spirit, 
once  animated  by  the  noblest  and  most  chivalrous  desires, 
but  for  several  years  absorbed  in  ambitious  projects  and 
cruel  schemes  of  revenge.  His  last  words  were  a  recom- 
mendation to  his  son  to  finish  the  task  which  had  been 
begun,  to  be  good  to  his  young  brothers,  and  to  maintain 
three  hundred  knights  in  the  Holy  Land.  When  he  was 
buried  at  Westminster  an  inscription  was  placed  upon  his 
tomb,  covered  by  a  block  of  stone  brought  from  Bales- 
tine: — 


268 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND, 


[Chap.  X. 


EDUARDUS  PRIMUS. 
•  Edward  I. 


MALLEUS  SCOTORUM. 
The  Scourge  of  the  wScots. 


1307  PACTUM  SERVA. 
1307  Keep  the  Covenant. 


Among  the  sovereigns  who  had  governed  England, 
very  few  had  held  the  power  with  a  firmer  hand  than 
Edward  L;  very  few,  however,  saw  the  foundation  of 
more  liberties.  In  vain,  in  1307,  when  the  king  had 
thought  the  conquest  of  Scotland  assured,  had  he  hoped 
to  effect  his  deliverance  from  the  yoke  which  his  people 
had  imposed  upon  him  ;  in  vain  had  he  obtained  from 
tlie  Pope  a  bull  on  the  4th  of  January,  1305,  w^liich  re- 
lieved him  of  his  oaths  and  annulled  the  charters  which 
he  had  ratified,  forbidding  any  one,  under  pain  of  excom- 
munication, to  claim  their  fulfilment ;  in  vain,  Bohun 
being  dead,  had  Edv/ard's  threats  succeeded  in  intimidating 
old  Bigod  and  his  faithful  ally,  the  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury ;  the  attitude  taken  by  the  entire  nation  had  caused 
the  king  to  hesitate,  and  he  had  not  yet  made  pubHc  the 
Papal  bull,  when  the  insurrection  in  Scotland  absorbed  all 
his  attention  and  necessitated  the  assistance  of  Parliament. 
The  liberties  acquired  by  the  barons  now  had  a  durable 
guarantee ;  the  great  lords  were  not  obliged  to  resort 
incessantly  to  arms.  Parliaments  having  been  instituted. 
We  have  seen  the  deputies  of  the  towns  summoned  to 
Parliament  for  the  first  time  by  the  Earl  of  Leicester. 
Under  King  Edward  I.  the  barons  began  to  hold  their 
deliberations  privately,  and  the  knights  from  the  shires 
and  the  deputies  from  the  towns  who  were  summoned  less 
frequently,  formed  a  second  chamber.  From  this  time 
dates  the  origin  of  the  House  of  Lords  and  the  House  of 
Commons.  The  most  complete  Parliament  which  had 
yet  sat,  was  that  of  1295,  convened  by  King  Edward 
before  his  campaign  in  Flanders  :  an  Ecclesiastical  Parlia- 
ment had  been  convoked  at  the  same  time.  The  subsidies 
which  were  then  granted,  and  which  the  king  endeavored 


Chap.  X.] 


EDWARD  IL 


269 


to  increase  by  acts  of  extortion,  were  the  cause  of  the 
opposition  of  Bigod  and  Bohiin.  At  the  death  of  Edward, 
the  charters  had  been  so  firmly  estabhshed  in  England, 
that  no  monarch  dreamt  of  disturbing  them  again,  until 
the  unhappy  days  of  Charles  I.  The  liberties  of  the 
nation  were  assured  by  the  frequent  meeting  of  the  Parlia- 
ments, their  faithful  and  natural  guardians.  The  consti- 
tution of  England  was  founded. 

The  burdensome  inheritance  left  by  the  king  who  had 
just  died  fell  into  hands  too  feeble  to  support  it.  Edward 
II.  was  twenty-three  years  of  age  when  he  succeeded  his 
father ;  the  latter  had  had  six  sons,  of  whom  three  only 
survived  him  ;  the  young  king  had  already  shown  signs 
of  frivolity  and  obstinacy  which  augured  the  misfortunes 
of  his  reign.  Brought  up  from  childhood  with  a  young 
Aquitanian,  Piers  Gaveston,  he  had  conceived  for  this 
companion  so  strong  an  affection,  that  the  king,  his  father, 
had  been  alarmed  thereat,  and  had  on  several  occasions 
banished  the  young  favorite.  At  the  death  of  Edward  I. 
Gaveston  was  in  exile ;  but  at  the  news  of  the  accession 
of  his  young  master,  he  hastened  to  him,  and  the  first  act 
of  the  king  was  to  confer  upon  him  the  Earldom  of  Corn- 
v/all,  which  had  previously  been  deemed  a  position 
sufficiently  conspicuous  for  princes  of  the  royal  blood. 
Edward  did  not  content  himself  with  this  ;  while  he  was 
pretending  to  carry  on  a  campaign  in  Scotland,  the  great 
officers  of  the  crown  were  changed  ;  the  Lord  Treasurer, 
the  Bishop  of  Lichfield,  was  even  deprived  of  his  property 
and  cast  into  prison.  In  spite  of  the  oath  which  the  old 
king  had  exacted  from  his  son,  the  latter  had  returned  to 
London  to  inter  his  father,  leaving  Bruce  free  to  pursue 
his  successes.  Gaveston,  who  had  lately  married  Mar- 
garet, a  niece  of  the  king,  was  nominated  regent  of  the 
kingdom  in  the  month  of  January,  1308,  by  the  king,  who 


HT STORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


[Chai  X. 


went  over  to  France  to  marry  the  Princess  Isabel,  accord- 
ing to  Froissart,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  women  in  the 
world. 

King  Philip  the  Fair  had  just  caused  the  dissolution  of 
the  order  of  Templars  in  France,  an  iniquitous  proceeding*, 
inspired  rather  by  the  prince's  greed  than  by  the  offences 
of  the  order.  Philip  thereby  obtained  for  the  King  of 
England  the  dowry  promised  to  the  latter,  and  persuaded 
him,  without  great  difficulty,  to  withhold  his  protection 
from  the  Templars  established  in  England.  A  sliort  time 
afterwards  they  were  prosecuted.  Edward  set  sail  on  the 
7th  of  February  to  return  to  England;  he  was  accompanied 
by  a  numerous  suite  of  French  noblemen,  at  the  head  of 
whom  were  two  uncles  of  the  Queen.  Gaveston  came 
to  meet  the  king,  and  as  soon  as  Edward  perceived  him, 
forgetting  his  young  wife  and  his  noble  followers,  he  threw 
him.self  into  the  arms  of  the  favorite,  embracing  him  and 
calling  him  brother,  to  the  great  indignation  of  Isabel  and 
all  the  beholders.  Their  indignation  was  increased  when 
they  saw  Gaveston  decked  out  with  all  the  jewels  which 
the  King  of  France  had  recently  given  Edward.  The 
discontent  reached  its  height,  when,  at  the  ceremony  of 
the  coronation,  which  took  place  with  great  splendor  on 
tlie  14th  of  February,  Piers  Gaveston,  as  the  people  per- 
sisted in  calling  him,  in  spite  of  his  elevation  to  the 
Earldom  of  Cornwall,  was  entrusted  with  the  task  of 
carrying  before  the  king  the  crown  of  St.  Edward,  to  the 
exclusion  of  the  highest  noblemen  of  the  kingdom,  who 
were  all  anxious  for  this  honor. 

Isabel  had  already  begun  to  complain  to  her  father  of 
her  husband  and  tl:e  favorite,  when  the  barons  came  to 
the  king  four  days  after  his  coronation.  Sire,"  they 
said,  send  back  tliis  stranger  who  has  no  business  here.'* 
The  king  promised  to  give  his  reply  on  the  assembling  of 


Chap.  X.j 


ELWARD  TL 


271 


Parliament  after  Easter:  meanwhile,  he  endeavored  to 
lessen  the  resentment  of  the  noblemen  towards  his  friend. 
But  Piers  was  most  imprudent,  frivolous  and  vain ;  he 
loved  to  make  a  show  of  his  talent  for  chivalrous  exercises, 
and  threw  successively  from  their  horses  in  several  tourna- 
ments the  Earls  of  Lancaster,  Hereford,  Pembroke,  and 
Warren,  whose  wounded  pride  was  added  to  the  many 
serious  causes  of  resentment  against  him.  On  the  assem- 
bling of  Parliament,  the  annoyance  of  the  barons  v/as  so 
great,  that  the  king  was  constrained  to  give  way  and  to 
banish  Gaveston ;  he  loaded  him  with  presents  on  his 
departure,  giving  him  all  the  jewels  which  he  had  received 
from  Queen  Isabel,  and  accompanied  him  as  far  as  Bristol 
to  bid  him  farewell.  Gaveston  was  believed  to  be  in 
Aquitaine,  when  news  came  that  the  king  had  appointed 
him  governor  of  Ireland,  and  that  he  had  just  established 
himself  there  with  a  degree  of  splendor  almost  regal. 

The  king  longed  to  recall  his  favorite  ;  he  lavished  favors 
upon  the  great  lords  in  order  to  win  them  over,  and, 
when  he  had  been  relieved  by  the  Pope  of  the  oath  which 
he  had  sworn  never  to  recall  Gaveston  to  England,  he 
sent  for  his  friend,  and  went  as  far  as  Chester  to  meet  him, 
publicly  announcing  that  the  Earl  of  Cornwall  had  been 
unjustly  banished,  and  that  justice  demanded  a  fresh 
examination  of  his  conduct.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
barons  declared  that  the  king  had  violated  his  oath  and 
would  not  scruple  to  break  all  those  which  he  had  sworn 
for  the  maintenance  of  the  public  liberties.  The  discon- 
tent was  increasing ;  the  queen  complained  of  the  desertion 
of  her  husband  ;  the  Countess  of  Cornwall  was  rcpresent- 
hig  to  her  brother,  the  Earl  of  Gloucester,  Gaveston's 
imworthy  conduct  towards  her.  The  king  and  his  favorite 
did  not  heed  the  storm  which  was  about  to  burst ;  feasts, 
dances,  and  tournaments  succeeded  each  other  without 


272 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND.         [Chap.  X. 


intermission  at  the  court.  The  king's  funds  meanwhile 
had  run  low,  and,  in  the  month  of  August,  131 1,  he  found 
himself  compelled  to  convene  Parliament  at  Westminster. 

The  barons  came,  discontented  but  resolute ;  old  Arch- 
bishop Winchelsea  had  exhorted  them  to  deliver  the  king- 
dom from  the  power  of  the  favorite ;  the  Earl  of  Lincoln, 
when  dying,  had  sent  for  his  son-in-law,  the  Earl  of  Lan- 
caster. "  Do  not  abandon  England  to  the  king  and  the 
Pope,"  he  said;  **do  as  the  ancient  barons  did,  and  stand 
firmly  by  your  privileges.''  Scarcely  had  the  barons 
arrived  at  Westminster,  when  they  renewed  the  stipula- 
tions of  the  Mad  Parliament  "  of  Oxford  ;  they  demand- 
ed the  formation  of  a  temporal  council  entrusted  with  the 
task  of  providing  for  the  government  of  the  kingdom  ;  one 
of  the  new  concessions  forced  from  the  king  was  that  he 
should  convoke  Parliament  at  least  once  a  year. 

The  barons  had  brought  with  them  their  men-at-arms. 
Edward  II.  signed  all  that  they  demanded,  and  Gaveston 
was  once  more  obliged  to  leave  the  country.  The  king  then 
proceeded  to  the  North,  and  was  busy  raising  an  army, 
when  his  favorite  suddenly  appeared  at  his  side.  Such 
daring  was  beyond  endurance.  The  Earl  of  Lancaster,  the 
king's  cousin,  came  unexpectedly  upon  Edward  ;  the  king 
only  had  time  to  escape  with  Gaveston,  leaving  the  queen 
in  the  hands  of  the  barons,  who  treated  her  with  great 
respect.  The  king  and  his  friend  had  set  out  in  a  little 
bark ;  they  landed  at  Scarborough,  and  Piers  shut  himself 
up  in  the  fortress  there,  while  the  king  proceeded  to  York 
in  the  hope  of  joining  his  army.  But  the  barons  had 
already  set  out  for  Scarborough.  Being  besieged  in  the 
castle,  Gaveston  surrendered,  on  the  17th  of  May,  to  the 
Earl  of  Pembroke  and  Lord  Henry  Percy,  who  promised 
to  spare  his  life,  and  then  undertook  to  take  him  to  his  castle 
of  Wallingford.  The  little  band  started  on  their  journey ;  but 


Chap.  X.] 


EDWARD  II. 


273 


when  they  arrived  at  Dedington,  the  Earl  of  Pembroke  left 
his  prisoner  to  go  and  see  his  wife,  who  was  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. On  the  morning  of  the  19th,  Gaveston  received 
orders  to  dress  himself  at  once  ;  h.e  descended  into  the 
courtyard,  and  found  that  his  guards  had  been  changed ; 
the  Earl  of  Warwick,  the  black  dog  of  the  Ardennes,"  as 
the  favorite  called  him  when  jesting  wnth  the  king,  had 
arrived  during  the  night ;  the  prisoner  was  tied  on  the  back 
of  a  mule  and  led  to  Warwick  Castle.  The  Earl  of  Lancas- 
ter was  there.  Piers  was  accustomed  to  call  this  nobleman 
the  old  boar,"  but  he  now  threw  himself  at  his  feet,  beg- 
ging for  mxcrcy.  The  judges  were  inflexible;  he  was  hastily 
tried,  and  being  condemned,  the  unlucky  Piers  was  con- 
ducted to  Blacklow  Hill,  between  Warwick  and  Coventry, 
where  a  scaffold  had  been  erected;  the  executioners  hesi- 
tated for  a  moment  to  accomplish  so  horrible  a  deed. 

You  have  caught  the  fox  ;  if  you  let  him  go,  you  will 
have  to  give  chase  to  him  again,"  cried  a  voice  from  among 
the  crowd,  and  the  favorite's  head  fell ;  he  was  only  thirty- 
three  years  of  age. 

While  Edward  II.  was  mourning  for  his  murdered  friend, 
Robert  Bruce  was  slowly  conquering  Scotland  ;  twice  had 
the  king  of  England  attempted  an  expedition  in  support  of 
the  power  which  was  slipping  from  his  hands,  and  twice  he 
had  returned  without  result ;  the  autliority  of  Bruce  was 
being  established  everywhere  in  his  country ;  the  castles  of 
Perth,  Jedburgh,  Dunbar,  Edinburgh  were  in  his  hands ; 
he  was  besieging  the  fortress  of  Stirling,  when  the  gover- 
nor, Sir  Philip  Mowbray,  contrived  to  make  his  appeals  for 
succor  reach  the  king;  Edward  aroused  himself  for  a  mo- 
ment from  his  natural  indolence  and  raised  a  large  army  to 
march  against  Scotland  ;  he  started  from  Berwick  on  the 
nth  of  June,  13 13. 

The  forces  of  the  King  of  England  amounted,  it  is  said, 
16 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.         [Chap.  X. 


to  nearly  a  hundred  thousand  men.  While  they  were 
marching  with  their  banners  flying,  the  sun,  which  was 
ghstening  upon  the  armor  and  the  lances,  appeared  to 
inundate  the  country  with  a  flood  of  light.  King  Robert 
was  concealed  in  the  forests  with  an  army  of  forty  thou- 
sand men,  nearly  all  on  foot,  awaiting  the  enemy,  and  pre- 
paring barriers  which  were  intended  to  check  the  onslaught 
of  the  English  troops,  on  the  only  spot  open  to  attack. 
On  the  morning  of  the  23rd  of  June,  13 13,  the  two  armies 
met  near  Bannockburn. 

The  English  had  hastened  their  march,  and  had  arrived 
in  some  disorder,  in  front  of  the  Scottish  army.  Lord 
Clifford,  who  attempted  an  ambuscade,  was  repulsed  by 
Randolph,  earl  of  Moray,  nephew  of  King  Robert  and  one 
of  his  best  knights  ;  the  king  himself,  with  a  golden  crown 
on  his  helmet,  was  marching  slowly  along  the  line  of  his 
troops.  A  relative  of  the  Earl  of  Hereford's,  Sir  Henry 
Bohun,  sprang  forward  against  the  Scottish  traitor,"  reck- 
oning upon  throwing  him  by  the  weight  of  his  horse  alone, 
Bruce  being  mounted  upon  one  of  the  small  horses  of  the 
country. 

The  king  did  not  expect  the  shock ;  he  turned,  how- 
ever, with  great  skill,  and  Bohun's  lance  passed  close  by 
his  side  without  inflicting  any  injury  upon  him.  Raising 
himself  up  in  his  stirrups  and  displaying  his  gigantic  figure, 
he  struck  the  rash  Englishman  a  terrible  blow  with  his  bat- 
tle-axe: the  helmet  was  shattered  by  his  powerful  arm,  and 
Sir  Henry  Bohun,  whose  skull  was  fractured,  was  carried  off 
by  his  horse  dead.  Bruce  returned  slowly  to  the  spot 
where  the  greater  part  of  his  forces  was  concentrated. 
While  his  friends  were  surrounding  him,  reproaching  him 
for  running  so  great  a  risk,  the  Scottish  hero  was  looking 
sorrowfully  at  his  notched  axe,  and  laughingly  answered, 
I  have  spoilt  my  good  battle-axe." 


Chap.  X.] 


EDWARD  IL 


275 


The  night  had  been  passed  in  prayer  in  the  Scottish  camp 
and  in  feasting  and  debauchery  by  the  Enghsh.  King 
Edward  had  not  expected  a  battle,  and  held  his  forces 
assembled  in  such  a  manner  as  to  render  any  manoeuvres 
impossible.  At  daybreak  the  young  king  was  astonished 
at  the  good  order  observed  in  the  Scottish  ranks.  Do 
you  think  they  will  fight  he  asked  of  his  marshal,  Sir 
Ingeltram  d'Umfreville.  At  the  same  moment  the  Abbot 
Maurice  d'Inchafiray  appeared  before  the  Scottish  troops 
holding  a  crucifix  in  his  hand.  All  bent  their  knees,  all  un- 
covered their  heads.  They  are  asking  for  mercy,"  cried 
Edward.  Umfreville  smiled  bitterly.  Of  God,  not  of  us, 
Sire,"  said  he  ;  ^'  these  men  will  win  the  battle  or  die  at 
their  posts."  So  be  it!"  replied  the  king,  as  he  gave  the 
signal  for  the  attack. 

The  struggle  was  furious  from  the  commencement ;  the 
Earls  of  Gloucester  and  Hereford  sprang  towards  the  Scot- 
tish infantry,  which  remained  firm  ;  their  long  lances  with- 
stood the  onslaught  of  the  English  knights.  Randolph  was 
still  advancing  with  his  best  regiment.  Keith  was  attack- 
ing wath  five  hundred  mounted  men-at-arms,  the  English 
archers,  who  could  not  fight  at  close  quarters  and  were 
trampled  under  foot  by  the  horses.  Banners  were  torn 
and  lances  and  swords  were  shattered  to  pieces;  the  feet  of 
the  combatants  were  slipping  in  the  blood  ;  the  majority  of 
the  English  began  to  hesitate.  They  fly,  they  fly  !"  cried 
the  Scotch.  At  the  same  moment  a  loud  noise  was  heard 
behind  them  upon  the  hill  ;  the  camp  followers  and  the 
sick  and  the  wounded  soldiers,  excited  by  the  ardor  of 
the  struggle,  were  descending  in  a  mass  towards  the  scene 
of  action.  The  English  imagined  themselves  attacked  by 
a  fresh  army  ;  a  disorderly  retreat  had  begun,  when  Robert 
Bruce,  charging  with  his  reserve,  decided  the  fate  of  the 
day  beyond  the  possibility  of  a  doubt.    The  Earl  of  GIou- 


2/6 


HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND, 


[Chap.  X. 


cester  was  killed  while  attacking  Edward  Bruce,  Robert's 
brother.  Clifford  and  twenty-seven  other  barons  fell  by 
the  king's  side.  The  Earl  of  Pembroke  seized  the  bridle  of 
Edward's  horse  and  dragged  liim  away  from  the  battle- 
field. Sir  Giles  d'Argentiae  accompanied  him  out  of  the 
crowd,  then  retraced  iiis  steps,  exclaiming,  It  is  not  my 
custom  to  fly  !"  and  was  killed  by  Bruce's  soldiers. 

Never  had  a  victory  been  more  complete  :  the  fortress  of 
Stirling  surrendered  immediately  ;  the  Earl  of  Hereford, 
who  had  shut  himself  up  in  Botlnvell  Castle,  offered  to  ca- 
pitulate, and  was  exchanged  for  the  wife,  the  sister,  and  the 
daughter  of  the  King  of  Scotland,  who  had  been  detained 
for  several  years  in  England.  There  still  remained  a  great 
deal  of  territory  to  conquer,  but  the  work  of  Edward  the 
First  was  destroyed,  and  Scotland  was  no  longer  a  depend- 
ency of  England. 

Edward  Bruce's  ambition  was  not  satisfied ;  he  had 
assisted  his  brother  in  conquering  a  kingdom,  and  he  now 
wished  to  secure  a  crown  for  himself.  On  the  23rd  of 
May,  13 15,  while  England  was  beginning  to  feel  the 
miseries  of  a  famine  which  was  soon  to  be  followed  by  a 
plague,  he  landed  at  Carrickfergus  in  Ireland  at  the  head 
of  six  thousand  men.  He  was  soon  joinea  by  a  large 
number  of  Irish  chiefs  ;  and  they  then  proceeded  to  ravage 
the  territory  of  the  English  colonists  there,  pillaging  and 
burning  the  towns.  At  length  he  caused  himself  to  be 
crowned  King  of  Ireland  on  the  2nd  of  May,  13  16.  His 
brother  Robert  came  to  his  assistance,  and,  in  spite  of  the 
resistance  of  the  English,  who  held  Dublin  and  several 
other  important  towns,  the  invading  army  overran  the 
whole  of  Ireland.  The  northern  portion  of  the  country 
had  been  completely  subjugated  by  Edward  Bruce,  when 
King  Robert  was  called  back  to  his  kingdom,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  incursions  of  the  English.    Nineteen  pitched 


Chap.  X.] 


EDWARD  II. 


277 


battles  besides  numberless  skirmishes  had  been  fought, 
and  had  exhausted  the  resources  of  the  rash  conqueror, 
v/hen,  on  the  5th  of  October,  13 18,  Edward  Bruce  was  at 
length  defeated  and  killed  at  Fagher,  near  Dundalk,  and 
the  little  body  of  Scots  who  escaped  returned  to  Scotland. 
The  death  of  one  man  had  sufficed  to  overthrow  the 
slender  edifice,  which  for  three  years  he  had  been  striving 
to  raise.  The  independence  of  Scotland  was  more  firmly 
estabhshed  than  the  conquest  of  Ireland. 

Berwick  had  at  length  fallen  into  the  power  of  the 
Scotch;  King  Edward  II.  resolved,  in  13 19,  to  make  a 
fresh  effort  to  regain  that  town  and  to  recommence  his 
attempts  against  Scotland.  On  the  ist  of  September  he 
laid  siege  to  Berwick,  by  land  and  by  sea ;  but  while  he 
was  detained  there  by  the  obstinate  resistance  of  the  Lord 
Stewart  of  Scotland,  Douglas  and  Randolph,  King  Robert's 
most  faithful  companions,  had  crossed  the  borders  into 
England  with  fifteen  thousand  men,  carrying  their  ravages 
as  far  as  York,  so  that  Edward  was  obliged  to  abandon 
Berwick  and  march  against  the  invaders  of  his  own 
dominions.  The  Scots  escaped  from  him  and  re-entered 
their  country ;  a  truce  of  two  years  was  concluded,  and, 
in  1323,  after  several  renewals  of  hostilities,  it  was  followed 
by  a  new  treaty  which  restored  peace  to  the  two  countries ; 
not,  however,  without  leaving  in  England  a  feeling  of 
animosity  against  the  little  country  whose  proud  indepen- 
dence of  spirit  all  their  power  had  not  been  able  to 
subdue. 

King  Edward  had  not  taken  warning  by  the  fate  of 
Piers  Gaveston  ;  he  had  become  attached  to  a  young  man 
at  his  court,  Hugh  le  Despencer,  who  had  been  placed  at 
his  side  by  his  cousin  the  Earl  of  Lancaster,  and  whom  he 
soon  elevated  to  the  dignity  of  chamberlain.  A  short 
time  afterwards  he  married  him  to  Eleanor  dc  Clare,  sister 


278 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND. 


[Chap.  X. 


of  the  young  Earl  of  Gloucester,  who  had  been  killed  at 
Bannockburn ;  she  brought  him  an  enormous  estate  upon 
the  borders  of  Wales.  His  aunt,  Margaret  de  Clare,  had 
enriched  Gaveston  in  the  same  manner.  Le  Despencer 
was  an  Englishman,  and  Edward  had  perhaps  hoped  to 
enjoy  his  friendship  in  peace  ;  but  the  benefits  which  he 
heaped  upon  his  new  favorite  soon  excited  the  jealousy  of 
the  barons.  At  their  head  was  the  Earl  of  Lancaster,  who 
was  enraged  at  seeing  preferred  to  himself  a  man  who  had 
formerly  been  a  member  of  his  own  household.  An  abuse 
of  the  royal  authority  for  the  benefit  of  the  royal  favorite 
soon  furnished  a  pretext  to  the  great  noblemen  for  resist- 
ing the  king's  authority.  They  armed  their  vassals  ;  the 
lands  of  the  Despencers  were  pillaged  and  their  castles 
destroyed,  in  1321.  Lancaster  joined  the  insurrection, 
swearing  not  to  lay  down  his  arms  before  banishing  the 
favorite.  They  advanced  as  far  as  St.  Alban's,  and  the  earl 
sent  a  messenger  to  the  king  to  announce  the  conditions 
of  peace.  Edward  was  as  timid  as  he  was  stubborn ;  he 
defended  his  friends  as  well  as  he  was  able,  and  declared 
that  they  could  not  be  condemned  without  a  trial.  The 
barons  marched  towards  London  and  took  up  their  quarters 
in  the  suburbs  ;  Parliament  was  convened  at  Westminster; 
and  with  their  arms  in  their  hands,  the  Earl  of  Lancaster 
and  his  friends  accused  Hugh  le  Despencer  and  his  father 
of  having  usurped  the  royal  authority,  kept  the  king  away 
from  his  faithful  barons,  and  illegally  imposed  taxes,  &c. 
At  length  they  demanded  that  they  should  be  banished. 
The  bishops  protested  tliat  the  sentence  was  irregular; 
the  king  gave  in  ;  the  two  Le  Despencers  left  England,  and 
the  barons  became  so  arrogant,  that  Queen  Isabel,  when 
making  a  pilgrimage  to  Canterbury,  was  refused  admit- 
tance to  Leeds  Castle,  in  the  county  of  Kent,  although  that 
fortress  belonged  to  the  crown.    The  governor's  wife, 


CilAP.  X.] 


EDWARD  11. 


279 


Lady  Badlesmerc,  even  caused  several  arrows  to  be  shot 
at  the  royal  suite,  and  several  of  the  queen's  attendants 
were  killed. 

This  insolence  enraged  the  king.  He  punished  Lord 
and  Lady  Badlcsmere,  and  at  the  same  time  recalled  the 
Despencers.  Lancaster  rallied  round  him  all  his  friends 
and  entered  into  a  correspondence  with  the  Scots,  who 
promised  to  invade  the  northern  provinces.  This  negotia- 
tion had  no  other  effect  than  to  crush  the  popularity  of 
the  Earl  of  Lancaster,  the  Scots  being  so  much  detested. 
The  king  had  already  attacked  and  defeated  the  Earl  of 
Hereford  and  his  ally,  Roger  Mortimer,  and  the  latter 
was  a  prisoner  in  the  Tower.  Hereford  had  joined  Lan- 
caster, and  the  king  was  marching  against  them.  The 
two  earls  had  raised  the  siege  of  Tichnall  Castle  and  were 
retreating  before  the  royal  army,  when  at  Boroughbridge, 
on  the  borders  of  the  Ure,  Lancaster  found  the  Governors 
of  York  and  Carlisle  with  a  body  of  troops,  prepared  to 
dispute  his  passage.  Hereford  was  killed  upon  the  bridge, 
and  during  the  retreat  which  followed,  Lancaster  was 
made  a  prisoner.  He  vvas  brought  back  in  triumph  to  his 
Castle  of  Pontefract,  and  the  king  soon  joined  him  there. 
Lancaster  foresaw  the  fate  which  awaited  him.  "  Lord," 
he  said  on  being  captured,  kneeling  before  a  crucifix,  I 
surrender  to  Thee,  and  throw  myself  upon  Thy  mercy." 
His  conviction  was  certain,  his  treason  being  flagrant. 
Lancaster  was  condemned  by  six  earls  and  six  barons. 
The  people  insulted  him  while  he  was  being  led  to  the 
scaffold.    He  lifted  his  pinioned    hands  towards  heaven. 

Heavenly  King,  have  mercy  on  me,"  he  cried,  for  the 
king  of  earth  has  abandoned  me."  He  was  beheaded  on 
the  22nd  of  March,  1322.  Fourteen  bannerets  and  as 
many  knights  also  suffered  the  extreme  penalty.  Morti- 
mer was  condemned  to  imprisonment  for  life.    The  De- 


28o 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.         [Chap.  X. 


spencers  enriched  themselves  with  the  spoils  taken  from 
the  victims  ;  the  father  was  created  Earl  of  Winchester, 
and  the  enmity  of  the  people  towards  the  favorites  was 
increased  by  the  compassion  which  the  condemned  men 
inspired.  It  was  found  necessary  to  forbid  the  people  to 
kneel  before  the  portrait  of  the  Earl  of  Lancaster  in  St. 
Paul's  Cathedral,  and  rumors  of  miracles  which  had  taken 
place  at  his  tomb  were  spread  throughout  England,  as  had 
formerly  been  the  case  with  Simon  of  Montfort,  Earl  of 
Leicester. 

Roger  Mortimer  had  succeeded  in  escaping  from 
prison,  probably  not  without  having  held  some  communi- 
cation with  Queen  Isabel,  who  resided  at  the  Tower  during 
his  captivity.  He  was  in  France  and  had  just  entered  the 
serv^ice  of  Charles  the  Beautiful.  The  queen  was  enraged 
at  the  execution  of  his  uncle,  the  Earl  of  Lancaster. 
When  her  husband  came  back  from  the  expedition  in  the 
North,  she  received  him  haughtily,  and  manifested  towards 
the  Despencers  the  same  hostility  which  she  had  formerly 
displayed  towards  Piers  Gaveston.  The  King  of  France, 
Charles  the  Beautiful,  seized  the  pretext  of  the  grievances 
of  Isabel,  to  take  possession  of  the  greater  number  of  the 
towns  and  castles  belonging  to  Edward.  The  latter,  in 
return,  seized  upon  all  the  property  which  the  queen  held 
in  England,  declaring  that  she  should  possess  nothing 
while  in  communication  with  his  enemies. 

Isabel  immediately  proposed  to  act  as  mediator  between 
her  brother  and  her  husband.  The  weak  king  fell  into  the 
trap,  and  allowed  her  to  depart.  She  was  received  in 
France  with  open  arms,  and  soon  informed  her  husband 
that  he  would  have  to  come  and  do  homage  to  the 
King  of  France  for  his  duchy  of  Aquitaine.  Edward  was 
preparing  to  start  when  he  was  detained  in  England  in 
consequence  of  indisposition.    The  Despencers,  who  did 


Chap.  X.J  EDWARD  IL  281 

not  dare  to  accompany  him  into  France,  but  who  would 
not  lose  sight  of  him,  persuaded  the  weak  monarch  to 
cede  Guienne  and  Ponthieu  to  his  son.  Prince  Edward, 
the  King  of  France  promising  to  content  himself  with 
receiving  homage  from  the  young  man.  Tlie  Prince  of 
Wales  therefore  followed  his  mother  into  France.  But  in 
vain  did  the  king  await  the  return  of  his  wife  and  son,  the 
queen  was  continually  delaying;  at  length,  she  haughtily 
declared  that  her  life  was  not  safe  in  England  and  that  the 
Despencers  were  plotting  against  her  and  her  son. 

King  Edward,  astounded,  defended  himself  as  well  as 
he  was  able,  causing  all  the  prelates  in  England  to  write 
and  reassure  the  queen  ;  but  she  would  not  be  convinced, 
and  when  King  Charles  the  Beautiful,  tired,  no  doubt,  of 
the  bad  conduct  of  Isabel,  and  of  the  injunctions  which  he 
received  from  England,  told  his  sister  that  he  could  no 
longer  keep  her  at  his  court;  she  set  out,  surrounded  by 
the  knights  who  had  embraced  her  cause,  the  Earl  of 
Kent,  her  husband's  brother,  D'Artois,  John  of  Hainault, 
and,  still  accompanied  by  her  favorite,  Mortimer,  she 
embarked  at  Dort  with  a  little  army  of  Frenchmen  and 
Brabantines,  to  land  at  Orcewell  in  Suffolk,  on  the  24th 
of  September.  Scarcely  had  she  set  foot  upon  English 
soil  with  her  son,  when,  in  spite  of  all  the  damaging 
rumors  which  were  afloat  concerning  her,  a  large  number 
of  knights  flocked  round  her  standard.  The  people  were 
tired  of  the  weakness  of  King  Edward,  of  the  avidity  of 
his  favorites,  and  of  the  disorder  which  reigned  over  the 
kingdom.  When  Edward  sent  and  asked  for  the  assistance 
of  the  citizens  of  London,  they  replied  that  by  their  char- 
ters they  were  not  obliged  to  follow  him  into  battle,  but 
that  they  would  be  faithful  to  the  king,  the  queen,  and  the 
princes,  by  closing  their  gates  to  the  foreigners.  Edward 
was  alone  with  the  two  Despencers,  the  Chancellor  Baldock 


282 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,         [Chap.  X. 


and  a  few  knights.  Scarcely  had  he  set  out  for  Wales, 
v/hen  the  people  of  London  rose,  murdered  the  Bishop  of 
Exeter,  who  had  been  elevated  by  the  king  to  the  position 
of  governor,  and  sent  his  head  to  tlie  queen.  Edward 
had  halted  at  Gloucester,  whence  he  had  sent  old  Des- 
pencer  to  defend  Bristol ;  the  citizens  revolted,  and 
Despcncer  was  compelled  to  surrender  at  the  discretion  of 
Isabel.  She  immediately  caused  him  to  be  executed  as  a 
traitor,  and  the  old  man's  head  was  exposed  to  the  public 
sight  at  Winchester.  Hugh  le  Despencer  and  Chancellor 
Baldock,  as  well  as  the  king,  were  wandering  in  the  county 
of  Glamorgan,  where  they  had  been  shipwrecked,  after 
having  ineffectually  endeavored  to  take  refuge  in  Ireland. 
Le  Despencer  and  the  chancellor  were  recognized  and 
arrested.  The  king  immediately  surrendered  to  his 
enemies,  having  decided  to  share  the  fate  of  those  who 
loved  him,  and  who  were  already  condemned  in  anticipa- 
tion. 

Baldock  soon  died  of  ill-treatment,  and  it  was  necessary 
to  liasten  the  execution  of  Hugh  le  Despencer.  He  had 
refused  to  take  any  food  since  his  arrest,  and  he  was  half 
dead  when  he  was  dragged  to  the  scaffold  to  suffer  the 
same  fate  as  his  father.  The  Earl  of  Arundel,  who  had 
been  at  the  head  of  the  judges  who  condemned  Lancaster, 
was  beheaded  with  two  of  his  friends,  and  their  property 
was  given  to  Mortimer. 

The  queen  had  arrived  in  London,  Parliament  had  just 
met;  and,  on  the  7th  of  January,  1327,  the  Bishop  of 
Hereford,  Adam  Orleton,  Isabel's  adviser  and  able  agent, 
asked  this  question  of  the  assembly  :  Should  the  father 
be  rc-cstablislicd  upon  the  throne,  or  ought  the  son  to 
replace  him  ?"  He  dwelt  upon  the  weakness,  the  bad 
deeds,  the  treacherous  acts  of  King  Edward,  and  asked 
the  lords  to  reply  on  the  morrow  to  his  question.  The 


Chap.  X.] 


EDWARD  IL 


decision  was  not  doubtful.  While  the  barons  were  pro- 
nouncing, in  the  great  hall  of  Westminster,  the  fall  of 
Edward  II.,  King  of  England,  the  people  of  London, 
assembled  in  crowds  at  the  doors  of  the  palace,  loudly 
demanded  his  immediate  condemnation.  Several  bishops 
alone  had  the  courage  to  speak  in  favor  of  the  unhappy 
king,  who  had  not  seen  a  sword  drawn  nor  a  bow  stretched 
in  his  defence:  they  were  insulted,  and  the  Bishop  of 
Rochester  was  trampled  in  the  mud  on  leaving  the  palace. 
The  young  prince  was  proclaimed  king  by  the  pubhc 
voice,  and  all  the  peers  who  were  present  swore  allegiance 
to  him  on  the  spot. 

When  the  queen  was  informed  of  the  success  of  all  her 
schemes,  she  cried  bitterly.  Alas !"  she  said,  they 
have  deposed  my  husband  the  king.  Parliament  has 
overstepped  its  authority."  These  hypocritical  tears  did 
not  deceive  anybody ;  the  young  prince,  Edward,  alone 
was  touched  at  them.  Do  not  be  afraid,  mother,"  said 
he,  "  I  will  never  deprive  my  father  of  his  crown."  A 
deputation  was  therefore  sent  to  the  poor  king,  who  was  a 
prisoner  in  Kenilworth  Castle.  When  Edward  II.  per- 
ceived the  Bishop  of  Hereford  at  the  head  of  the  embassa- 
dors, he  fell  to  the  ground,  stricken  with  grief  The  judge 
who  had  condemned  the  two  Dcspencers,  Sir  William 
Trussel,  advanced  in  the  name  of  the  Parliament,  and, 
taking  his  turn  to  speak,  told  Edward  that  he  was  no 
longer  King  of  England.  At  the  same  moment.  Sir 
Thomas  Blount,  steward  of  the  royal  household,  broke  his 
baton,  renouncing  his  allegiance  to  the  king.  Edward 
listened  without  complaining,  and  without  urging  anything 
on  his  own  behalf,  simply  thanked  the  Parliament  for 
having  recognized  the  rights  of  his  son.  On  the  24th  of 
January,  1327,  King  F.dward  III.  was  proclaimed  through- 
out the  kingdom.    Edward  IL  was,  according  to  the 


284  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,  [Chap.  X. 


decree  of  Psirliament,  deposed  from  the  throne  by  the 
lords  and  commons,  and  the  power  was  entrusted  to  Queen 
Isabel,  who  was  to  administer  the  affairs  of  the  kingdom 
for  her  son,  then  only  fifteen  years  of  age. 

Isabel  was  herself  under  the  influence  of  Mortimer. 
Edward  II.  being  dethroned  could  not  hope  to  hve  long. 
The  power  of  the  favorite  over  the  queen  became  a  matter 
for  alarm  ;  several  monks  preached  against  him ;  the  Earl 
of  Lancaster,  to  whose  keeping  the  deposed  king  had  been 
entrusted,  seemed  to  have  conceived  a  feeling  of  pity  for 
his  prisoner,  so  the  latter  was  removed  to  another  place. 
Being  consigned  to  the  charge  of  Lord  Berkeley  and  Sir 
John  Maltravers,  he  was  taken  to  Bristol,  where  also  the 
people  began  to  be  touched  at  his  fate.  Two  scoundrels 
who  had  been  sent  to  him  as  gaolers,  dragged  him  out 
half  naked  and  took  him  to  Corfe  Castle.  The  poor  king 
asked  to  be  allowed  to  dress  himself ;  some  dirty  water 
was  brought  him  in  a  helmet.  Tears  rolled  dov/n  his 
cheeks.  I  have  some  purer  water,  in  spite  of  you,''  he 
said.  A  crown  of  dry  herbs  had  been  placed  upon  his 
head.  At  length,  moving  from  place  to  place,  the  de- 
throned monarch  was  brought  to  Berkeley  Castle,  on  the 
river  Severn,  where  an  attempt  was  made  to  poison  him, 
but  without  success.  At  length,  one  night,  the  governor 
of  the  castle  being  away,  piercing  cries  were  heard,  and 
immediately  afterwards  all  was  silent  again.  The  inhabitants 
of  the  neighborhood  sluiddered  on  hearing  them.  On 
the  morrow,  when  the  doors  were  opened,  the  death  of 
Edward  II.  was  announced,  and  the  country  people  were 
admitted  to  view  the  corpse  of  him  who  had  been  their 
king.  The  expression  of  agony  which  rested  upon  the 
once  handsome  features  of  the  unhappy  monarch,  terrified 
all  who  saw  it.  The  body  was  taken  to  the  abbey  of 
Gloucester  and  buried  soon  afterwards ;  but  the  people 


Chap.  XL] 


EDWARD  Ih. 


went  in  crowds  to  the  tomb  of  this  king  wnom  no  one  had 
defended  during  his  Hfe-time.  The  offerings  made  in  his 
honor  at  the  convent  were  so  considerable  that  the  monks 
were  enabled  to  add  an  aisle  to  their  church.  This  un- 
fortunate monarch,  so  weak  and  so  frivolous,  consistent 
only  in  his  affection,  so  harshly  abandoned  and  so  cruelly 
murdered,  was  not  yet  forty-three  years  of  age  when  he 
expired  on  the  21st  of  September,  1327. 


THE  HUNDRED  YEARS'  WAR.  EDWARD  III.  {}'h2J-im) 
^T^HE  young  king,  Edward  III.,  was  but  fifteen  years 


deposed  father.  The  Parliament  appointed  a  council  of 
Regency,  composed  of  five  prelates  and  six  great  noble- 
men, and  consigned  the  young  monarch  into  the  keeping 
of  the  Earl  of  Lancaster.  No  pov/er  was  formally  vested 
in  the  dowager  queen ;  but  her  debts  were  discharged, 
and  a  large  pension  was  granted  her,  by  means  of  which 
she  was  enabled  to  strength. en  her  own  influence  and 
increase  the  authority  of  Mortimer. 

While  England  had  been  engrossed  in  its  internal  dis- 
sensions and  struggles,  Scotland,  under  the  firm  govern- 
ment of  Robert  Bruce,  had  been  recovering  from  the 
effects  of  its  misfortunes.  The  thirst  for  vengeance  raged, 
however,  in  the  hearts  of  all  the  Scots ;  and  respect  for 
the  truce  was  powerless  to  .restrain  them.  Hearing  that 
King  Edward  II.  had  been  dethroned,  and  that  a  council 
of  Regency  had  been  appointed,  they  crossed  the  frontier 
on  the  3rd  of  February,  1327,  and  began  to  lay  waste  the 
northern  counties.    Their  army  gradually  increased  in 


CHAPTER  XI. 


to  the   throne  of  his 


286  HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  XI. 


numbers.  King  Robert  was  ill,  but  his  two  faithful  friends, 
James,  earl  of  Douglas,  and  Randolph,  earl  of  Moray, 
were  at  the  head  of  his  troops.  The  Scottish  army  con- 
sisted entirely  of  mounted  soldiers,  whose  light,  robust 
steeds,  steady  as  themselves,  bore  them  with  the  swiftness 
of  the  wind,  without  rest,  and  almost  without  provender. 
No  baggage,  no  tents, — a  bag  of  oatmeal  in  front  of  each 
horseman,  under  his  saddle  an  iron  plate,  which  served  for 
baking  his  cakes ;  the  English  farms  and  villages  furnished 
the  rest. 

Rumors  of  the  ravages  to  which  the  northern  counties 
had  been  subjected,  touched  the  feelings  of  the  young 
king,  and  awakened  his  martial  ardor.  In  the  beginning 
of  July,  the  English  troops,  supported  by  an  army  corps 
from  Hainault,  the  members  of  which  had  been  brought 
with  great  difiiculty  to  live  at  peace  with  their  English 
allies,  arrived  at  Durham.  The  exact  whereabouts  of  tlic 
Scottish  army  was  unknown  ;  but  the  king  pressed  forward 
in  pursuit.  Like  his  enemies,  he  had  left  the  camp  baggage 
behind  him.  After  a  week  of  pursuit,  the  Scots  were  still 
invisible,  and  the  English,  on  the  verge  of  starvation, 
were  beginning  to  murmur.  The  king  promised  the 
honor  of  knighthood  and  a  pension  of  a  hundred  pounds  to 
whoever  should  bring  tidings  of  the  enemy.  They  had 
crossed  the  Wear  ;  on  the  fourth  day  a  messenger  galloped 
up  on  horseback.  Sire,"  said  Thomas  Rokeby,  "the 
Scots  are  within  tliree  leagues  of  this  spot,  encamped  upon 
a  mountain.  I  have  been  their  prisoner  for  a  week  ;  but 
they  liberated  me  that  I  might  come  and  inform  you  that 
they  await  your  arrival."  The  king  immediately  marched 
towards  the  enemy. 

They  had  arrived  on  the  banks  of  the  Wear ;  and  this 
time  the  Scots  were  perceived,  encamped  on  the  summit 
of  a  hill.    They  were  drawn  up  in  battle  array,  but  they 


Chap,  XL] 


EDWARD  III 


287 


did  not  stir.  Edward  despatched  a  herald  to  them,  with 
a  proposal  that  they  should  cross  the  river,  in  order  that 
the  combat  might  take  place  upon  the  open  plain.  I 
have  not  come  here  for  the  king's  pleasure,"  said  Douglas, 

and  I  will  not  leave  my  post  for  love  of  him.'*  If 
he  is  not  satisfied,  let  himi  cross  the  water  and  drive  us 
before  him."  The  undertaking  was  too  perilous,  and  the 
two  armies  remained  in  their  respective  positions  for  two 
days.  On  the  third  night,  the  Scots  raised  their  camp^ 
and  were  soon  afterwards  perceived  to  have  taken  up  a 
still  stronger  position,  upon  another  hill.  Tlie  King  of 
England  broke  up  his  camp  likewise,  and  followed  them. 
For  eighteen  days  the  two  armies  had  watched  each  other 
without  result,  not  a  blow  being  struck  ;  the  English  troops 
were  sleeping  in  their  tents,  when  a  loud  cry  was  heard 
amid  the  silence:  Douglas  !  Douglas!  Death  to  the 
English  robbers!"  The  terrified  soldiers  rose  in  confusion, 
and  in  a  half- sleeping  condition,  and  groped  about  in  the 
dark  for  their  weapons.  Meanwhile  sounds  of  strife  were 
heard,  and  suddenly  the  ropes  supporting  the  royal  tent 
were  cut,  and  by  the  side  of  the  couch  whereon  the  young 
king  was  sleeping.  Black  Douglas,  the  most  valiant  knight 
in  Scotland,  appeared  like  a  threatening  phantom.  The 
chamberlain  and  chaplain  of  the  young  king  sprang  for- 
ward to  protect  their  master.  Tlie  youth  had  hidden 
himself  within  the  folds  of  the  tent.  Douglas,  however, 
did  not  pursue  his  adventure  further ;  sounding  the  horn, 
he  recalled  the  three  hundred  men  who  had  followed  him. 

What  have  you  done  ?"  asked  Randolph,  when  the  Scots 
had  regained  their  intrenchments.  We  have  shed  a  little 
blood,  my  lord,  that  is  all,"  said  Douglas.  We  should 
have  crossed  over  with  the  whole  of  our  army,"  insisted 
his  friend;  **our  provisions  are  exhausted."  On  the 
following  night,  the  Scots  disappeared  in  silence,  carrying 


288 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  XI. 


with  them  a  rich  booty,  \vhile  King  Edward,  incensed  and 
humihated,  again  marched  towards  York,  whither  his 
affianced  bride,  Phihppa  of  Hainault,  was  being  conducted 
b}^  John  of  Hainault.  The  marriage  was  celebrated  on 
St.  Paul's  day,  1328.  The  king  was  sixteen  years  of  cge, 
while  the  queen  was  one  year  younger.  Peace  had  just 
been  concluded  with  Scotland ;  the  independence  of  that 
kingdom  had  thereby  been  acknowledged ;  the  crown 
jewels,  which  had  been  seized  by  Edward  I.,  had  been 
restored,  and  the  little  Princess  Joan,  who  was  betrothed 
to  David,  the  young  son  of  Robert  Bruce,  had  been  taken 
to  Berwick  and  given  up  to  the  Scots.  It  seemed  as 
though  the  deliverer  of  Scotland  had  waited  for  this  great 
triumph  before  going  to  his  last  rest.  He  died  in  the 
following  year,  the  fifty-fifth  of  his  age,  leaving  wise 
counsels  to  his  countrymen  ;  and  to  his  faithful  friend,  the 
good  lord  James  Douglas,  the  task  of  carrying  his  heart  to 
Palestine,  in  order  that  his  vow  to  visit  the  Holy  Land 
might  be  fulfilled.  The  evils  of  a  minority  threatened 
Scotland  at  the  very  moment  when  England  v/as  escaping 
from  that  calamity. 

The  arrogance  of  Mortimer  had  increased  with  his 
power,  and  the  great  noblemen  were  beginning  to  chafe 
under  the  yoke  which  he  imposed  upon  them.  The  Earl 
of  Lancaster  was  the  first  to  make  an  attempt  against  the 
favorite  ;  but  he  had  been  defeated,  notwithstanding  that 
he  obtained  the  temporary  support  of  the  king's  uncles, 
the  Earl  of  Kent  and  the  Earl  of  Norfolk.  Mortimer 
ravaged  the  possessions  of  Lancaster  like  a  conqueror.  A 
rumor  had  been  spread  abroad  that  King  Edward  II.  was 
not  dead,  and  the  Earl  of  Kent  had  perhaps  been  encour- 
aged in  this  illusion,  which  was  the  cause  of  his  ruin.  He 
was  accused  of  high  treason,  and  condemned  for  the 
strange  crime  of  having  endeavored  to  replace  a  dead 


Chap.  XI.  J 


EDWARD  III 


289 


man  upon  the  throne.  The  execution  took  place  on  the 
19th  of  May,  1330,  in  spite  of  the  noble  birth  of  the 
victim,  and  the  pubhc  indignation  reached  its  chmax.  The 
3^oung  king  had  hitherto  remained  silent  concerning  State 
matters,  and  had  appeared  as  a  docile  instrument  in  the 
hands  of  his  mother  and  Mortimer,  although  he  had  kept 
aloof  from  them  since  his  marriage,  not  permitting  his 
young  wife  to  frequent  a  corrupt  and  licentious  court. 

It  was  on  the  13th  of  June,  1330,  that  a  son  was  born 
to  King  Edward,  who  was  to  achieve  a  mighty  reputation 
as  Prince  of  Wales.  The  young  king,  already  a  father  at 
eighteen  years  of  age,  began  to  feel  the  disgrace  of  his 
situation,  and  to  experience  some  remorse  for  the  wrongs 
which  were  perpetrated  in  his  name.  Slowly  and 
prudently,  he  communicated  his  opinions  to  Lord  Monta- 
cute,  one  of  his  advisers.  A  Parliament  was  convoked 
at  Nottingham,  in  the  month  of  October,  the  king  being 
then  lodged  in  the  castle  v/ith  Mortimer  and  his  mother. 
On  the  night  of  the  19th,  the  keys  of  the  fortress  had  been 
brought  as  usual  to  Queen  Isabel,  when  Lord  Montacute, 
accompanied  by  several  friends,  crept  silently  into  the 
vaults  of  the  castle,  which  had  been  opened  to  him  by  the 
governor.  The  king  awaited  him  with  great  anxiety  at 
the  door  of  the  great  tower.  The  conspirators  ascended  a 
dark  staircase  and  found  themselves  at  the  door  of  the 
queen's  antechamber.  Notwithstanding  the  lateness  of  the 
hour,  the  voice  of  Mortimer  was  heard  discussing  with 
some  of  his  adherents.  Montacute  and  his  friends  broke 
open  the  door,  and  killed  two  sentinels  who  endeavored  to 
defend  it.  Hearing  the  commotion,  the  queen  ran  for- 
ward, calling  loudly  upon  her  son,  who  had  remained  be- 
hind the  door,  but  whose  presence  she  guessed.  ''My 
dear  son,"  she  cried,     spare  the  gentle  Mortimer,  my 

beloved  cousin."     The  favorite   was,  however,  dragged 
10 


290  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  XL 


out,  and,  at  daybreak,  he  was  already  on  his  way,  under 
strong  escort,  to  the  Tower  of  London.  Nottingham  rang 
with  sounds  of  joy. 

The  king  had  seized  the  reins  of  government ;  this  he 
announced  to  his  subjects  in  dissolving  the  Parliament  and 
convoking  a  new  representative  assembly  at  Westminster. 
On  the  26th  of  November,  1330,  the  favorite  was  cited 
before  his  judges,  the  king  himself  being  present  at  the 
trial.  His  crimes  were  notorious  ;  and  consequently  the 
decision  did  not  long  remain  doubtful.  As  he  had  put 
Hugh  le  Despencer  to  death  v/ithout  allowing  him  time  to 
make  any  defence,  Mortimer  was  himself  drawn  to  Tyburn 
and  hanged,  with  Sir  Simon  Beresford,  one  of  his  accom- 
plices. His  property,  however,  was  not  confiscated,  and 
his  family  retained  the  title  of  Earl  of  March,  which  had 
been  granted  by  the  queen  to  her  favorite.  Isabel  was 
imprisoned  in  the  castle  of  Rising,  treated  with  respect  by 
her  son,  who  paid  a  visit  to  her  every  year  and  ministered 
liberally  to  all  her  necessities  ;  but  she  never  again  left  the 
retreat,  in  which  she  lived  for  more  than  twenty-seven 
years  afterwards.  The  Regent  of  Scotland,  the  Earl  of 
Moray,  was  dead.  The  valiant  Douglas  had  been  slain  in 
an  expedition  against  the  Moors  of  Spain,  the  first  episode 
in  the  crusade  which  he  had  undertaken  in  company  with 
the  heart  of  Bruce.  Scotland  Avas  now  governed  by  the 
Earl  of  Mar,  a  warrior  far  inferior  to  the  great  champions 
of  liberty,  the  friends  and  supporters  of  Robert  Bruce. 
The  time  had  come  when  England  was  to  be  raised  out  of 
the  disgrace  of  the  last  treaty.  The  pretensions  of  Edward 
Baliol,  the  son  of  the  exiled  king,  were  advanced  by 
several  English  peers  who  had  been  deprived  of  property 
pertaining  to  them  in  Scotland.  Baliol  advanced  into  the 
northern  counties,  and  a  certain  number  of  Scottish  mal- 
contents crossed  the  frontier  and  rallied  round  his  standard. 


Chap.  XL] 


EDWARD  TIL 


291 


He  then  marched  into  Scotland,  but  soon  confronted  two 
armies  superior  to  his  own  ;  a  skilful  movement,  however, 
placed  the  invaders  in  an  advantageous  position ;  the  Earl 
of  Mar  imprudently  gave  battle  in  a  defile  on  Duplin 
Heath,  where  he  and  many  others  were  defeated  and  killed. 
Baliol  had  had  time  to  fortify  himself  within  Perth  before 
the  arrival  of  the  Earl  of  Mar,  and  the  Scottish  fleet  was 
destroyed  by  the  little  squadron  brought  over  by  the 
pretender.  BalioFs  forces  were  increasing  day  by  day  ; 
he  was  crowned  at  Scone  on  the  2nd  of  September,  having 
secretly  renewed  to  King  Edward  HI.  the  allegiance 
which  his  father  had  rendered  to  Edward  I. 

But  the  crown  thus  acquired  in  seven  weeks  was  destined 
to  be  lost  in  less  than  three  months.  On  the  night  of  the 
1 6th  of  December,  the  new  king  was  taken  by  surprise  at 
Annan,  in  the  county  of  Dumfries,  by  a  Scottish  corps 
under  the  command  of  the  young  Earl  of  Moray  and  Sir 
Archibald  Douglas.  Baliol,  in  a  semi-naked  condition, 
and  mounted  upon  a  barebacked  horse,  which,  for  want  of 
time,  he  had  been  unable  to  properly  equip,  contrived  to 
escape  to  the  English  frontier,  leaving  his  father,  Henry, 
dead  behind  him.  King  Edward  received  him  so  amicably 
that  the  Scottish  people,  indignant  at  the  support  accorded 
the  pretender,  invaded  the  northern  counties  of  England 
on  several  occasions,  carrying  their  ravages  to  such  an 
extent  that  King  Edward  determined  to  enter  Scotland. 
In  the  month  of  May,  1333,  he  joined  Baliol,  who,  during 
two  months,  had  been  besieging  the  town  of  Berwick. 
The  garrison  was  preparing  to  surrender,  when,  on  the  19th 
of  July,  Archibald  Douglas,  now  regent  of  Scotland, 
appeared  in  sight  of  the  town.  The  English  army  was 
posted  on  the  heights  of  Halidon  Hill,  protected  by  the 
marshes.  The  Scots  were  excited  by  the  peril  threatening 
Berwick  ;  they  attacked  the  enemv  in  spite  of  obstacles. 


292 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  XI. 


Arrows  fell  thick  in  their  midst  during  their  passage  across 
the  marshes,  and  disorder  had  already  broken  out  in  their 
ranks,  when  they  began  their  fierce  onslaught  on  the  hill. 
The  assault  was  so  vigorous  that  for  a  moment  victory 
seemed  to  incline  in  their  favor ;  but  the  regent  fell,  and 
with  him  and  beside  him  his  most  valiant  knic^hts.  Kine 
Edward  sprang  forward  in  pursuit  of  the  Scots,  who  were 
beginning  to  fly.  Lord  Darcy,  who  was  in  command  of 
tlie  Irish  peasants  who  had  joined  as  auxiliaries,  slaugh- 
tered the  stragglers.  Scotland  had  never  suffered  so 
lamentable  a  defeat.  King  David  and  his  wife  took  refuge 
in  France,  and  spent  several  years  at  Chateau-Gaillard. 
Baliol  was  reinstalled  upon  the  tb.rone,  not,  however,  with- 
out ceding  to  his  powerful  ally  the  finest  counties  in  the 
south  of  Scotland,  to  the  general  indignation  of  the  Scot- 
tish people.  They  soon  compelled  him  to  take  refuge  in 
the  territory  which  he  had  thus  abandoned,  and  there  he 
maintained  his  position  with  great  difficulty,  although  sup- 
ported from  time  to  time  by  fresh  troops  from  England. 
A  more  ambitious  project  had  been  formed  in  the  mind 
of  the  King  of  England,  and  the  war  with  Scotland 
languished  while  Edward  was  dreaming  of  conquering 
France. 

The  King  of  France,  Charles  IV.,  surnamed  the  Fair, 
had  died  in  1328;  and,  a  short  time  after  his  death,  the 
queen  his  wife  had  given  birth  to  a  daughter.  The  Sa-ie 
law  prohibiting  the  accession  of  females  to  the  throne,  the: 
peers  of  the  kingdom  and  the  States- general  had  decreed 
that  the  crown  belonged  to  the  cousin  of  the  deceased 
king,  Philip  of  Valois,  grandson  of  Philip  the  Bold,  by  his 
youngest  son,  Charles  of  Valois ;  and  the  new  sovereign 
had  taken  undisputed  possession  of  the  throne.  King 
Edward  III.  was  scarcely  sixteen  years  of  age,  and, 
although  maintaining  from  tliat  time  forth,  in  England,  that 


Chap.  XL] 


EDWARD  IIL 


293 


his  right  was  superior  to  that  of  Phihp  of  Valois,  his 
mother  Isabel  being  the  daughter  of  Philip  the  Fair,  he 
accepted  the  invitation  of  the  King  of  France  to  render 
fealty  and  homage  to  him  for  the  Duchy  of  Aquitaine,  and 
again  performed  the  same  ceremony  in  133 1,  when  he 
had  attained  his  majority  and  was  king  de  facto.  But,  in 
1336,  the  young  King  of  England  feh  that  he  was  securely 
seated  upon  his  throne,  and  being  piqued  by  the  support 
which  Philip  of  Valois  openly  gave  to  the  Scotch,  he 
publicly  declared  that  the  peers  of  France  and  the  States- 
general  had  acted  as  rogues  and  robbers  rather  than  as 
judges,  and  that  for  the  future  he  would  not  recognize 
their  decisions,  but  would  maintain  his  own  just  rights. 
Thus  began  that  disastrous  war  which  has  been  called  the 
*^  Hundred  Years'  War,"  but  which,  in  reality,  was  waged 
from  1338  until  1453,  during  the  reigns  of  five  kings  of 
France — Philip  VI.,  John  the  Good,  Charles  V.,  Charles 
VI.,  and  Charles  VII. — and  of  as  many  kings  of  England 
— Edward  III.,  Richard  II.,  Henry  IV.,  Henry  V.,  and 
Henry  VI.  It  cost  the  lives  of  millions  of  men,  brought 
plague  and  famine  with  it,  and  caused  unheard-of  misery, 
without  any  result  for  the  two  nations  other  than  a  feeling 
of  international  hatred  which  has  scarcely  died  out  in  our 
own  time. 

The  preparations  on  both  sides  were  gigantic.  The 
English  people  looked  with  favor  upon  the  war  against 
France,  and,  in  spite  of  the  Magna  Charta,  the  king  was 
allowed  to  seize  the  Cornish  tin  and  all  the  wool  grown 
during  the  year,  although  they  had  already  granted  him 
iill  the  subsidies  and  loans  which  he  had  demanded. 
Edward  embarked  at  Orwell  on  the  15th  of  July,  1338, 
and  landed  four  days  afterwards  at  Antwerp.  The  Count 
of  Inlanders  was  an  ally  of  the  King  of  P^'ance,  but  his 
towns  scarcely  obeyed  him,  as  they  were  then  under  the 


294 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  XI. 


influence  of  a  brewer  of  Ghent,  named  Jacques  van  Arte- 
veldt,  who  contracted  a  friendship  with  King  Edw^ard. 
He  had  negotiated  with  even  more  illustrious  allies  ;  the 
Emperor  of  Germany,  the  Dukes  of  Brabant  and  Gueldrcs, 
the  Counts  of  Hainault  and  Namur.  All  had  received  liis 
money  ;  but  the  troops  did  not  arrive,  and  when,  on  the 
1st  of  July,  1339,  ^^^^  King  of  England  at  length  succeeded 
in  crossing  the  French  frontier,  the  Counts  of  Namur  and 
Hainault  immediately  abandoned  him,  and  his  other  con- 
federates soon  did  likewise.  The  king  was  compelled  to 
return,  after  having,  by  the  advice  of  Arteveldt,  assumed 
the  title  of  King  of  France,  and  added  to  his  coat  of  arms 
the  lily  side  by  side  w^ith  the  lions  of  England.  The  Par- 
liament, as  ardent  in  the  cause  of  the  war  as  the  king 
himself,  voted  enormous  subsidies,  and,  on  the  22nd  of 
June,  1340,  Edward  again  left  England,  to  attack  the 
French  vessels  of  war,  huddled  together  in  the  port  of 
Sluys.  Queen  Philippa  had  accompanied  her  husband, 
taking  with  her  a  great  number  of  ladies  in  waiting. 
The  French  and  Genoese  vessels  hired  by  King  Philip 
were  numerous  and  very  large  ;  when  they  sailed  out  of 
port,  attached  -together  by  iron  chains  and  formed  in  four 
divisions,  and  advanced  to  dispute  his  passage,  Edward 
uttered  a  cry  of  joy.  Ah !"  said  he,  I  have  long 
desired  to  fight  with  the  French.  So  shall  I  meet  some 
of  them  to-day,  by  the  grace  of  God  and  St.  George." 
Fie  began  to  gain  the  offing ;  his  adversaries  already 
imagined  that  he  declined  an  engagement,  but  he  was 
really  desirous  of  avoiding  the  ardent  rays  of  the  sun  and 
of  attacking  briskly  the  first  division  of  the  P^rench  fleet, 
of  which  he  soon  made  himself  master  in  spite  of  a  vigorous 
resistance. 

A  reinforcement  arrived  at  the  same  time  under  the 
command  of  Lord  Morley  ;  the  victors  thereupon  assailed 


Chap.  XI.] 


EDWARD  III, 


295 


the  three  French  divisions  at  the  same  time.  The  French 
sailors  became  alarmed  ;  they  could  not  manage  their 
vessels  nor  disengage  them  to  facilitate  a  retreat.  After 
having  fought  during  several  hours,  the  French  and 
Genoese  sprang  into  the  water,  in  order  to  escape  by- 
swimming.  Many  of  them  were  drowned,  and  the  defeat 
was  so  decisive  that  nobody  was  bold  enough  to  commu- 
nicate the  news  to  King  Philip.  His  court  jester  presented 
himself  before  the  French  monarch.  The  English  are 
cowards,"    he    said.       Why    so?"    inquired    the  king. 

Because  they  had  not  the  courage  to  spring  into  the  sea 
at  Sluys  as  did  the  French  and  Normans."  The  king 
guessed  the  sad  truth.  Edward  had  landed  on  French 
soil,  surrounded  by  the  allies  whom  his  victory  had  at- 
tracted toward  him;  he  laid  siege  to  Saint-Omer  and 
Tournay,  sending  thence  a  challenge  to  Philip  of  Valois, 
proposing  to  arrange  their  quarrel  by  a  singular  contest. 
He  suggested  that  the  fate  of  the  two  kingdoms  should  be 
entrusted  to  a  hundred  combatants  on  each  side,  or  that  a 
day  should  be  fixed  on  which  a  pitched  battle  should  be 
fought.  Philip  answered  with  disdain;  and,  as  in  the 
preceding  year,  he  left  his  enemy  free  to  exhaust  his 
strength  and  resources  on  insignificant  places,  without 
ever  according  him  the  opportunity  of  a  general  engage- 
ment. The  coffers  of  the  King  of  England  soon  became 
empty,  and  his  allies  refused  to  fight ;  he  was  compelled 
to  consent  to  the  armistice  which  Pope  Benedict  XH. 
advised,  and  he  returned  to  his  kingdom  infuriated  by  the 
ill-success  of  a  campaign  which  had  begun  under  brilliant 
auspices.  He  unexpectedly  appeared  in  London,  cast 
three  judges  into  prison,  deposed  the  chancellor  and  the 
treasurer,  who  had  not  been  able,  he  said,  to  supply  him 
with  the  subsidies  necessary  to  his  requirements,  and  im- 
mediately engaged  in  a  contcnt'cn  with  the  Archbishop 


296 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND, 


[Chap.  XI. 


of  Canterbury,  president  of  the  council.  The  archbishop 
exonerated  himself  before  the  Parliament,  which,  accord- 
ing to  its  wise  custom,  refused  the  subsidies  until  the  king 
had  promised  to  reform  some  existing  abuses,  and  to  give 
new  guarantees  against  others  in  the  future. 

Meanwhile  King  David  Bruce  had  returned  to  Scotland; 
he  was  eighteen  years  of  age,  was  handsome,  well  shaped, 
and  skilled  in  all  athletic  exercises.  The  joy  of  his  sub- 
jects, therefore,  was  great  at  his  arrival.  Baliol  had  been 
driven  back  into  England,  and,  notwithstanding  several 
attempts  of  the  young  Scottish  king  upon  the  northern 
counties,  Edward  concluded  an  armistice  with  him  in 
1342,  at  the  same  time  entrusting  him  with  the  task  of 
defending  the  English  frontier,  so  much  was  he  absorbed 
in  the  war  with  France,  and  in  thoughts  of  revenge  for  his 
past  checks. 

A  new  opening  had  presented  itself  to  him  upon  the 
French  territory.  John  III.,  duke  of  Brittany,  had  died 
without  issue  in  1341,  and  his  brother,  John  de  Montfort, 
had  immediately  seized  the  treasury,  as  well  as  several 
important  towns.  But  Joan  of  Penthievre,  otherwise  Joan 
the  Lame,  wife  of  Charles,  Count  of  Blois,  claimed  the 
duchy  as  the  daughter  of  Guy  de  Montfort,  a  younger 
brother  of  the  deceased  duke.  The  Count  of  Blois  was 
the  nephew  of  Philip  of  Valois,  and  he  had  invoked  the 
aid  of  his  uncle.  Montfort  had  been  summoned  to  Paris 
to  render  an  account  of  his  claims.  After  having  ap- 
peared before  the  king,  he  had  fled  secretly,  and  his  first 
care  was  to  repair  to  London,  there  to  do  homage  to  the 
King  of  England  in  respect  to  Brittany.  Edward  had 
promised  to  support  him,  but  already  a  French  army  had 
marched  into  Brittany.  John  de  Montfort  had  been  cap- 
tured at  Nantes,  and  his  wife,  Joan  of  Flanders,  had  with 
difficulty  contrived  to  escape  with  her  son  to  the  castle  of 


Chap.  XL]  EDWARD  III.  297 


Hennebon,  where  she  was  besieged  by  the  Duke  of  Nor- 
mandy. The  countess  had  indeed  the  heart  of  a  man 
and  a  Hon,"  says  Froissart,  and  she  vahantly  encouraged 
her  partisans,  while  waiting  the  succor  which  she  had 
demanded  from  England.  The  wind  was  unfavorable ; 
the  English  vessels  did  not  arrive,  and  treachery  began  to 
do  its  work  in  the  town,  when  Joan,  leaning  on  her  case- 
ment, perceived  sails  in  the  horizon.  Behold  there  ! 
behold  there !"  she  cried,  the  succor  which  I  have  so 
long  desired."  The  rising  tide  brought  to  her  Gautier  de 
Manny,  a  valiant  knight  of  Hainault,  who  had  become  a 
faithful  servant  to  the  King  of  England,  and  one  of  the 
most  illustrious  amongst  his  warriors.  He  was  accompa- 
nied by  a  goodly  number  of  knights  and  men-at-arms, 
and  soon  caused  the  siege  to  be  raised.  But  the  war  con- 
tinued in  Lower  Brittany.  With  singular  inconsistency, 
the  King  of  France,  who  owed  his  elevation  to  the  throne 
to  the  Salic  law,  was  maintaining  in  Brittany  the  cause  of 
female  succession,  while  Edward  was  defending  the  rights 
of  the  male  sex,  which  he  had  refused  to  recognize  in  the 
case  of  Philip  of  Valois.  An  armistice  enabled  the 
Countess  de  Montfort  to  cross  over  to  England  to  obtain 
reinforcements.  When  she  returned  to  Brittany,  she  was 
accompanied  by  Robert  of  Artois,  brother-in-law  of  King 
Philip  and  his  mortal  enemy.  The  town  of  Vannes  was 
captured  and  recaptured.  Robert  of  Artois,  wounded, 
succeeded,  although  not  without  great  difficulty,  in  es- 
caping to  England,  there  to  die  at  the  very  moment  when 
Edward  was  setting  sail  with  the  resolution  of  directing 
the  war  in  Brittany  in  person.  He  landed  in  the  month 
of  October,  1343,  at  Hennebon,  with  twelve  thousand 
men,  and  immediately  laid  siege  to  Vannes,  Rennes,  and 
Nantes,  with  no  other  result  than  the  devastation  of  the 
country,  already  overrun  by  so  many  enemies,  and  the 


298 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND, 


[Chap.  XI. 


retreat  of  Charles  of  Blois,  whose  forces  had  been  greatly 
reduced. 

The  arrival  of  the  Duke  of  Normandy,  the  eldest  son  of 
King  Philip,  soon  enabled  the  French  troops  to  act  once 
more  upon  the  aggressive  by  besieging  Edward,  encamped 
before  Vannes.  The  two  armies  were  suffering  severely 
from  the  inclemency  of  the  weather.  The  Duke  of  Nor- 
mandy dreaded  the  reinforcements  which  were  expected  by 
the  English.  Edward  foresaw  that  his  provisions  would 
shortly  be  exhausted,  when  the  legates  of  the  Pope  arrived, 
and,  by  dint  of  their  exertions,  a  truce  of  three  years  was 
arranged ;  the  siege  of  Vannes  was  then  raised. 

Notwithstanding  the  truce,  the  v/ar  still  raged  in  Brit- 
tany. King  Philip  of  Valois  aroused  a  widespread  feeling 
of  indignation  by  arresting,  at  a  tournament,  several  Breton 
nobleman,  Oliver  de  Clisson,  among  others,  and  by  caus- 
ing them  to  be  beheaded  without  trial,  as  guilty  of  relations 
with  the  English.  The  head  of  Clisson  was  sent  to  Nantes; 
but  the  king  had  created  an  implacable  foe  in  the  person 
of  Joan  of  Belville,  the  widow  of  Clisson,  who  immediately 
armed  all  her  vassals  and  soon  vied  with  Joan  de  Mont- 
ifort  herself  in  courage  and  intrepidity.  The  Countess  had 
recently  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  her  husband,  who 
had  escaped  from  prison,  where  he  had  been  incarcerated 
for  six  years.  He  brought  with  him,  from  England,  a 
small  body  of  troops,  which  he  landed  at  liennebon  in  the 
middle  of  September,  1345  \  but  his  health  was  impaired, 
and  he  died  on  the  26th  of  the  same  month,  naming  King 
Edward  guardian  of  his  son. 

Hostilities  recommenced  openly.    During  the  truce  the 
two  kings  had  made  preparations  for  a  desperate  struggle. 
Among  the  means  which  King  PhiHp  had  devised  for  the 
purpose  of  filling  his  coffers,  was  the  monopoly  of  salt. 
It  is  indeed  by  the  Salic  law  that  Philip  of  Valois  reigns,'* 


Chap.  XL] 


EDWARD  IIL 


299 


said  Edward.  The  King  of  England  is  but  a  wool  mer- 
chant," was  the  reply  at  the  court  of  France.  The  parlia- 
ment had  granted  fresh  subsidies,  recommending  merely 
to  the  king  that  he  should  put  an  end  to  the  war  promptly 
either  by  battle  or  by  treaty. 

The  Earl  of  Derby  was  already  in  Guienne,  retaking,  one 
by  one,  all  the  places  which  had  been  captured  by  the  en- 
emy, when  King  Edward  landed  in  Flanders,  on  the  26th 
of  June,  134s,  in  order  to  obtain  an  interview  with  the 
deputies  of  the  great  towns  of  Flanders.  The  citizens,  under 
the  command  of  Jacques  van  Arteveldt,  had  by  degrees 
deprived  their  ruler  of  his  power,  and  King  Edward  had 
conceived  the  hope  of  substituting  his  son,  the  Prince  of 
Wales,  for  Count  Louis  of  Flanders,  who  refused  to  re- 
nounce his  alliance  with  the  King  of  France.  But  when  he 
unfolded  his  plans  before  the  deputies  of  the  cities,  and 
although  ardently  supported  by  Arteveldt,  the  Flemings 
eyed  each  other,  and  asked  that  they  might  be  allowed  to 
consult  their  fellow-citizens.  Yes,"  said  the  King  of 
England,  "  by  all  means  ;"  and  he  waited  at  Sluys  while 
Arteveldt  proceeded  to  Bruges  and  to  Ypres,  there  to  plead 
the  cause  of  his  patron  and  ally.  He  placed  too  much  re- 
liance, however,  upon  his  good  city  of  Ghent;  there  the 
disaffection  on  his  return  was  general.  They  began  to 
murmur  and  boiiter  trois  tetcs  en  2in  cliaperon  (says  the 
Clironicle^  saying,  ^  Here  is  a  man  who  is  too  much  the 
master,  and  who  would  compel  the  county  of  Flanders  to 
do  his  behest,  which  cannot  be  tolerated.'  "  ^'  As  Jacques 
van  Arteveldt  rode  through  the  streets  he  soon  perceived 
that  there  was  some  change  in  the  feeling  towards  him, 
and  returning  quickly  to  his  residence,  he  caused  the  doors 
thereof  to  be  closed." 

This  precaution  was  not  taken  too  soon ;  a  furious 
crowd   already  surrounded   the   house,  demanding  the 


300 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  XI. 


public  treasure  of  Flanders,  which  had  been  sent,  they 
said,  to  England  by  Arteveldt.  He  therefore  repHed 
very  meekly,  'Verily,  gentlemen,  as  to  the  treasures  of 
Flanders,  I  have  not  taken  one  single  penn}^'  '  No,  no,' 
they  cried,  '  we  know  the  truth,  that  you  have  emptied 
the  public  coffers  and  sent  the  contents  to  England  secretly, 
for  which  act  you  must  suffer  death.'  When  Arteveldt 
heard  these  words,  he  clasped  his  hands  and  burst  into 
tears,  saying  at  the  same  time,  *  Gentlemen,  such  as  I  am 
so  have  you  made  me,  and  you  form.erly  swore  that  you 
would  defend  and  protect  me.  Do  you  not  know  how 
trade  languished  in  this  country  ?  I  restored  it  to  you. 
And  then  I  governed  you  so  peacefully  that  you  have  had 
everything  at  will :  wheat,  wool,  and  every  species  of 
commodity  with  which  you  have  been  clothed  and  become 
fat.'  But  the  people  cried  out,  '  Come  down,  and  do  not 
preach  to  us  from  so  great  a  height.'  (Arteveldt  was  at  a 
window.)  Thereupon  Arteveldt  closed  the  shutter  of  the 
v/indow%  and  determined  to  go  out  at  the  rear  and  take 
refuge  in  a  church  which  adjoined  his  residence ;  but 
already  the  doors  had  been  burst  open,  admitting  more 
than  four  hundred  persons,  all  eager  to  capture  him. 
Finally,  he  was  captured  among  them  and  slain  on  the 
spot  without  mercy.  Thus  ended  tlie  career  of  Arteveldt, 
who  in  his  time  was  so  great  a  ruler  in  Flanders.  To  the 
poorer  classes  he  owed  his  princely  elevation,  and  at  the 
hands  of  the  malignant  populace  he  came  to  his  end." 

When  the  news  of  the  death  of  Arteveldt  reached  King 
Edward  at  Sluys,  he  was  irritated  and  despondent ;  all  his 
schemes  were  frustrated  through  the  loss  of  his  faithful 
ally,  and  he  therefore  set  sail  for  England,  vowing  to  be 
avenged  on  the  Flemings.  The  latter  greatly  feared  his 
resentment ;  the  wool  which  was  so  necessary  in  their 
manufactures   was    imported   almost    exclusively  from 


Chap.  XL]     THE  HUNDRED   YEARS'   WAR,  301 


England.  They  despatched  an  embassy  to  London  for 
the  purpose  of  exonerating  themselves,  and  in  order  to 
hint  at  the  possibility  of  a  marriage  between  the  daughter 
of  King  Edward  and  the  young  dajnoiscmi,  the  heir  of 
Flanders.  Thus  would  the  county  of  Flanders  always 
remain  to  one  of  your  children."  These  representations, 
together  with  others,  softened  greatly  the  resentment  of 
King  Edward,  who  finally  declared  himself  well  pleased 
with  the  Flemings,  as  were  the  Flemings  with  him ;  and 
thus  by  degrees  was  the  death  of  Jaques  van  Arteveldt 
forgotten  on  both  sides. 

Meanwhile  the  preparations  for  the  passage  to  France 
were  completed.  The  army  was  numerous  and  spirited  ; 
the  project  openly  announced  was  to  pass  into  Gascony, 
there  to  sustain  the  Earl  of  Derby,  who  w^as  hemmed  in 
by  the  Duke  of  Normandy  ;  but  Godefroy  d'FIarcourt, 
a  French  baron  in  exile  in  England,  urged  Edward  to 
attack  Normandy,  a  rich  and  undefended  country.  The 
king  resolved  to  adopt  the  course  proposed,  and,  on  the 
1 2th  of  July,  1346,  he  disembarked  at  La  Hogue;  imme- 
diately on  landing  his  foot  slipped,  and  he  fell.  Come 
hither  into  our  ship,  chcr  sirCy'  said  the  English  knights, 
for  behold  a  little  omen  for  you  ;"  to  w^hich  the  king 
replied  pointedly  and  without  hesitation,  Why  so  ?  It 
is  a  very  good  sign,  for  the  land  evidently  wishes  for  me." 
At  which  all  the  barons  were  greatly  rejoiced. 

The  soil  of  Normandy  was  unwise  to  wish  for  King 
Edward,  for  he  pillaged  and  burnt  dov/n  everything  before 
him.  Barfleur,  Carentan,  and  Saint-L6  had  already 
succumbed  when  he  appeared  before  Caen.  The  burghers 
had  mustered  all  their  forces,  and  the  Count  d'Eu,  the 
Constable  of  France,  with  the  Count  cle  Tancarville,  was 
there,  supported  by  gallant  knights.  JBul"  as  soon  as  the 
burghers  beheld  the  English,  who  Vvcre   approaching  in 


302 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.         [Chap.  XL 


three  lines,  close  and  compact,  and  saw  their  banners  and 
pennants  flying  and  streaming  in  the  wind,  and  heard  the 
cries  of  archers  whom  they  were  not  accustomed  to  see  or 
hear,  they  were  so  alarmed  and  discomfitted  that  nothing 
in  the  w^orld  could  have  hindered  their  taking  to  flight ; 
accordingly  they  dispersed  towards  their  town  in  disorder, 
without  consulting  the  Constable  of  France  in  the  matter." 

When  the  knights  found  that  they  w^ere  no  longer 
supported  by  the  burghers  they  surrendered  to  Sir  Thomas 
Holland,  and  the  King  of  England  commanded  that  no 
harm  should  be  done  in  the  city  of  Caen,  where  the 
English  remained  during  three  days,  and  therein  captured 
such  magnificent  booty,  marvellous  to  think  of,  which  they 
immediately  despatched  to  England,  while  the  king  was 
riding  towards  Paris;"  taking  Louviers,  Vernon,  and  Ver- 
neuil,  they  arrived  at  Poissy.  The  quarter-masters  of  the 
English  army  even  advanced  as  far  as  Saint- Germain, 
Montjoie,  Saint-Cloud,  Boulogne,  and  Bourg-la-Reine, 
whereat  the  inhabitants  of  Paris  were  grievously  dis- 
quieted." 

King  PliiHp  had  convoked  all  his  followers,  and  a  large 
army  was  beginning  to  assemble  round  him  ;  the  French 
endeavored  to  gain  time,  in  order  to  muster  in  numbers 
and  overwhelm  their  enemies  by  superior  forces.  The 
depredations  committed  around  Paris  had  meanwhile 
spread  uneasiness  at  the  court,  and  the  king  proceeded  to 
St.  Denis,  where  his  allies  were  assembled,  *^  the  King  of 
Bohemia,  John  of  Hainault,  who  had  become  French  ; 
the  Duke  of  Lorraine,  the  Count  of  Flanders,  the  Count 
of  Blois,  and  a  great  number  of  barons  and  knights.  When 
the  inhabitants  of  Paris  saw  tliat  their  sovereign  was  leav- 
ing them,  they  were  more  alarmed  th.an  before,  and  came 
and  knelt  down  before  him.  *  Ah  !  sire  and  noble  king, 
what  would  you  do  ?    Would  you  thus  depart  and  leave 


Chap.  XL]     THE  HUNDRED   YEARS'  WAR, 


the  good  city  of  Paris  ?  Here  your  enemies  are  but  two 
leagues  distant  and  soon  will  be  in  this  city,  where  we 
have  not  and  shall  not  have  any  one  to  defend  us  against 
them  !' — 'Fear  nothing,  m.y  good  folk,'  said  the  king,  'the 
English  will  not  come  to  you,  for  I  shall  march  against 
them  and  attack  them,  howsoever  they  may  be.'  " 

King  Edward  had  left  Poissy  on  the  i6th  of  August, 
1346,  taking  the  road  to  Picardy  ;  he  was  expecting  a  re- 
inforcement of  the  Flemings,  who  had  promised  to  invade 
the  French  territory,  and  he  was  anxious  to  be  nearer  his 
auxiliaries.  King  Philip  followed  closely  upon  his  steps. 
The  army  of  the  French  monarch  increased  day  by  day, 
and  he  hoped  to  overtake  his  enemies,  in  order  to  give 
battle  to  them  before  they  could  cross  the  Somme.  The 
English  were  vainly  seeking  a  ford,  and  tidings  had  been 
received  th.at  Philip  had  arrived  at  Amiens.  Edward  had 
caused  all  the  prisoners  who  had  been  taken  in  the  county 
of  Ponthieu  to  be  brought  to  Oiscmont,  where  he  was  en- 
camped, and  said  to  them,  ''  very  courteously,  '  Is  there  a 
man  among  you  who  knows  of  a  passage  which  should  be  be- 
low Abbeville,  where  we  and  our  army  may  cross  without 
danger  ?  If  there  is  any  one  who  will  inform  us  of  this, 
we  will  release  him  from  prison,  as  well  as  twenty  of  his 
comrades,  in  gratitude  to  him.'  Whereupon  a  fellow  named 
Gobin  Agace,  who  had  been  born  and  bred  near  the  pas- 
sage of  the  Blanche-Tache,  advanced  and  said  to  the  king, 
*  Sire,  yes,  in  the  name  of  God,  I  know  it  and  will  conduct 
you  to  it'  When  the  King  of  England  heard  these  words, 
he  was  rejoiced,  and  orders  were  given  to  his  soldiery  to 
be  in  readiness  by  sunrise ;  for  the  salt  tide  flowed  as  high 
as  the  Blanche-Tache,  and  it  was  desirable  to  take  advan- 
tage of  the  ebb  for  crossing  over."  On  arriving  before  the 
ford,  they  there  saw  a  noble  knight  named  Godemar  de 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  XL 


Fay,  who  bravely  defended  the  passage,  but  he  was  de- 
feated with  aU  his  men,"  and  the  Enghsh  found  themselves 
on  tiie  other  side,  whither  King  PhiHp  was  eager  to  follow 
them,  when  he  heard  the  news  ;  but  the  flood  tide  had 
already  returned  and  it  was  necessary  to  wait  until  the  mor- 
row, while  King  Edward,  who  was  still  riding  forward,  had 
taken  possession  of  Le  Crotoy,  and  had  arrived  at  the 
county  of  Ponthieu. 

He  was  in  the  open  country  not  far  from  Crecy,  when  he 
said  to  his  men,  Let  us  halt  here  for  awhile.  I  will  go 
no  further  until  I  h.ave  seen  our  enemies,  for  I  stand  upon 
t!ie  rightful  inheritance  of  that  noble  lady  my  mother,  which 
was  given  to  her  on  her  marriage;  so  will  I  defend  it  against 
my  adversary,  Philip  of  Valois  1"  And  the  king  and  his 
followers  encamped  on  the  open  plain,  the  king  superin- 
tending all  its  labors  ;  for  his  army  was  small  in  compar- 
ison with  that  of  the  King  of  P" ranee,  who  Avas  constantly 
being  joined  by  fresh  barons  and  allies,  who  were  unable 
to  find  quarters  in  the  good  town  of  Abbeville,  but  were 
encam.ped  in  the  surrounding  neighborhood." 

It  was  on  the  morning  of  the  26th  of  August.  King 
Edward  had  attended  mass  and  taken  the  communion,  as 
liad  also  his  son,  the  Prince  of  Wales ;  and  he  had  drawn 
up  his  men  in  three  battle  corps,  entrusting  the  first  to  the 
command  of  the  young  prince,  supported  by  the  Earls  of 
Warwick  and  Oxford  ;  Northampton  and  Arundel  were 
placed  at  the  head  of  the  second,  while  the  third  he  re- 
served for  himself  When  the  three  divisions  were 
arranged,  and  every  earl,  baron  and  knight  knew  what  he 
had  to  do,  the  King  of  England,  seated  upon  a  small  white 
palfrey,  and  staff  in  his  hand,  marched  slowly  from  line  to 
line,  admonishing  and  exhorting  the  earls,  the  barons,  and 
the  knights  to  understand  and  reflect  that  for  his  honor 
they  must  guard  and  defend  his  right ;  and  he  said  these 


Chap.  XL]    THE  HUNDRED   YEARS'  WAR. 


305 


things  to  them  smihng  so  pleasantly  and  with  so  joyous  a 
manner,  that  whoever  had  been  previously  quite  dejected, 
began  to  take  comfort  on  hearing  and  beholding  him.  He 
then  commanded  that  all  the  men  should  eat  at  their  case 
and  drink  a  draught;  after  Vv^hich  they  sat  down  upon  the 
ground  with  their  casques  and  crossbows  in  front  of  them, 
in  order  to  be  more  fresh  and  better  prepared  on  the 
arrival  of  their  enemies,  lor  it  was  the  intention  of  the 
King  of  England  to  await  his  enemy,  the  King  of  France, 
upon  that  spot,  and  there  to  oppose  him  and  his 
power.'' 

Meanwhile  King  Philip  had  marched  forward  with  all 
his  forces,  despatching  before  him  four  of  his  best  knights 
to  examine  the  position  of  the  Enghsh.  Sire,"  said  the 
most  renowned  among  them,  on  his  return,  called  the 
Monk  of  BasHe,  the  English  are  drawn  up  and  arranged 
in  good  order,  and  await  you.  Therefore  it  is  well  that 
your  men  should  halt  in  the  fields  and  rest  for  the  remahi- 
der  of  this  day,  for  they  are  fatigued.  It  is  late,  and  to- 
morrow you  will  be  able  with  more  leisure  to  consider  on 
which  side  you  can  attack  your  enemies,  for  you  may  rest 
assured  that  they  will  await  your  coming." 

The  king  perceived  the  wisdom  of  the  advice,  and  the 
quarter-masters  of  the  army  rode  on,  one  in  front  and  the 
other  in  the  rear,  exclaiming,  Halt,  banners !  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  and  of  his  Highness  St.  Denis."  The 
foremost  among  them  obeyed  at  once  and  drew  up  ;  but 
not  so  those  in  the  rear,  who  still  urged  their  horses  for- 
ward, saying  they  would  not  stop  until  they  had  gone  as 
far  as  those  in  advance  of  them."  Whereupon  the  front 
ranks  recommenced  their  onward  march,  and  through 
their  great  pride  and  vanity,  neither  the  king  nor  his 
quarter-masters  could  exact  obedience  from  them,  for  there 

were  such  distinguished  warriors  and  such  a  large  number 
20 


3o6 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,         [Chap.  XI. 


of  great  noblemen,  that  each  desired  on  this  occasion  to 
show  his  power." 

This  marching  soon  brought  them  within  sight  of  the 
EngHsh.  When  the  French  knights  in  the  front  ranks  first 
saw  them,  they  were  smitten  with  shame  at  their  dis- 
orderly appearance,  and  fell  back  a  few  steps ;  those  who 
were  behind  thought  that  an  engagement  had  taken  place, 
and  that  they  had  been  defeated,  and  pressed  forward  with 
all  the  citizens  and  inhabitants  of  Abbeville  who  had 
followed  the  army.  When  they  saw  the  enemy,  they 
cried,  Death  to  them  !  Death  to  them !"  drawing  and 
brandishing  at  the  same  time  their  swords.  The  confusion 
increased  every  minute. 

King  Philip  had  seen  the  enemy,  as  well  as  his  soldiers, 
"and  his  blood  was  stirred,  for  he  hated  them."  He  forgot 
all ;  the  prudent  advice  of  the  Monk  of  Basele,  the  fatigue 
of  his  troops  and  their  disorder;  and  he  exclaimed,  "Send 
our  Genoese  troops  in  front,  and  let  us  begin  the  batde  in 
the  name  of  God  and  of  His  Highness  St.  Denis." 

The  Genoese  soldiers  were  weary  after  their  long 
march;  they  murmured;  at  the  same  instant  a  violent 
tempest  arose  ;  the  rain  fell  in  torrents.  They  were  in 
the  presence  of  the  English  troops,  who  had  risen  in  "very 
good  order,  and  without  any  alarm,"  and  had  taken  up  the 
positions  assigned  to  them.  When  the  sky  became  clear 
again  the  sun  shone  in  the  faces  of  the  French  soldiers ;  the 
Genoese  shouted  as  they  marched  to  the  combat,  "  so  very 
loud  that  it  was  marvellous,  in  order  to  terrify  the  English; 
but  they  kept  quite  quiet  and  made  no  show."  The 
crossbow-men  began  to  shoot;  but  in  the  midst  of  their 
compact  numbers  the  redoubtable  English  arrows  were 
pouring  down  like  hail,  and  the  Genoese,  "  who  had  not 
learnt  to  encounter  such  archers  as  those  from  England, 
when  they  felt  these  bolts  and  arrows  which  pierced  their 


Chap.  XL]    THE   HUNDRED    YEARS'  WAR. 


arms,  heads,  and  lips,  were  immediately  discomfited,  and 
fell  back  upon  the  bulk  of  the  army." 

The  knights  were  ready,  lance  in  hand,  awaiting  their 
turn.  King  Philip  became  incensed  on  beholding  the  rout 
of  the  Genoese,  who  impeded  his  progress.  Now  then," 
he  cried,  kill  all  this  rabble  who  bar  the  way  to  no  pur- 
pose." And  the  unhappy  Genoese  fell  by  the  swords  of 
their  allies  as  they  had  previously  fallen  by  the  arrows  of 
their  enemies.  The  French  horsemen  waded  through 
their  blood  to  approach  the  English. 

The  melee  commenced,  terrible  and  confused ;  the  old 
King  of  Bohemia,  blind  and  surrounded  by  his  followers, 
inquired  how  matters  were  progressing.  This  was  at  the 
moment  when   the    Genoese    were    being  slaughtered. 

They  fall  back  upon  each  other,  and  prevent  our  advanc- 
ing," said  his  knights.  "  Ah  !"  replied  the  king,  this  is 
the  signal  for  us ;  therefore,  I  beg  you,  my  men,  friends 
and  comrades,  to  lead  me  so  far  forward  that  I  may  wield 
a  sword  against  the  enemy."  And  they,  fearing  to  lose 
the  king  in  the  confusion,  bound  their  horses  together  by 
the  bridles,  and  placed  the  king  their  lord  in  front,  and 
thus  fell  upon  the  enemy  ;  on  whom  the  king  inflicted 
blows  one  after  the  other,  and  all  remained  there  and  not 
one  stirred,"  for  all  the  knights  were  on  the  morrow  found 
dead  around  their  master. 

Meanwhile  the  king  of  England  did  not  fight ;  he  had 
not  even  donned  his  helmet,  v^hile  watching  the  battle 
from  a  little  eminence.  The  French  cavalry  were  closely 
pressing  the  Prince  of  Wales  ;  the  Earl  of  Northampton 
demanded  reinforcements  from  the  king.  Is  my  son 
dead  or  overthrown,  or  so  wounded  that  he  cannot  help 
himself?"  asked  Edward  of  the  messenger.  No,  my 
lord,  but  he  is  in  the  thick  of  the  fray  and  is  in  great  need 
of  your  assistance."      Return  to  those  who  sent  you," 


3o8 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,        [Chap.  XI. 


retorted  the  king,  and  tell  them  not  to  send  a  request 
again  while  my  son  is  still  alive,  but  to  let  the  youth  win 
his  spurs ;  for  I  intend,  if  it  please  God,  that  this  day  may 
be  his.'*    And  thus  was  it  done. 

The  French  were  exhausting  themselves  in  vain  ;  their 
numbers  and  their  valor  had  not  been  able  to  triumph  over 
the  disorder  and  the  unskilful  arrangement  of  the  troops. 
Their  best  warriors  lay  stretched  upon  the  field  of  battle, 
and  nightfall  approached.  Jolm  of  Hainault  seized  the 
bridle  of  the  horse  upon  which  the  King  of  France  v/as 
seated,  and  dragged  him  away  from  the  struggle.  Tliey 
rode  along  in  silence ;  five  horsemen  only  followed  the 
king.  They  arrived  at  the  gate  of  a  castle,  but  the  draw- 
bridge was  raised.  Open,''  said  Philip,  it  is  the 
unfortunate  King  of  France  who  entreats  you."  After 
resting  for  a  while  he  resumed  his  journey  towards  Amiens, 
while  the  English,  who  had  not  pursued  the  enemy,  were 
gathering  together  by  torchlight  around  the  tent  of  King 
Edward.  The  latter  had  just  left  the  hill  and  advanced 
towards  the  prince,  v/hom  he  embraced.  My  gallant 
son,"  he  said,  "  God  has  endowed  you  with  great  perse- 
verance ;  you  are  my  son,  and  have  loyally  justified  your 
title ;  you  are  worthy  to  hold  land."  The  dead  being 
interred.  King  Edward  marched  towards  Calais,  to  w^hich 
he  laid  siege  on  the  3  ist  of  August.  The  town  was  strong, 
and  the  garrison  was  known  to  be  resolute.  The  English 
proceeded  to  build  a  town  of  wood  around  the  ramparts. 
King  Philip  had  recalled  from  Guienne  the  Duke  of 
Normandy,  thus  relieving  the  Earl  of  Derby,  who  w^is 
closely  besieged  in  Bordeaux,  and  Sir  Walter  de  Manny, 
who  was  defending  Aiguillon.  These  two  knights  had 
nothing  more  at  present  to  do  than  to  rejoin  King  Edward 
before  Calais.  They  did  not  know  how  long  a  time  was 
destined  to  elapse  before  the  surrender  of  that  town. 


Chap.  XL]    THE   HUNDRED    YEARS'    WAR.  309 


The  position  of  the  King  of  France  was  becoming  seri- 
ous ;  he  endeavored  to  divert  the  attention  of  the  enemy. 
His  ally  David,  King  of  Scotland,  had  promised  to  attempt 
an  invasion  of  England;  the  moment  seemed  propitious;  all 
the  English  commanders  and  kniglits  were  beyond  the  sea. 
At  the  end  of  September,  1246,  David  marched  therefore 
into  the  county  of  Cumberland  with  a  considerable  army, 
pillaging  and  sacking  everything  on  their  v/ay.  Queen 
Philippa  had  already  levied  some  troops,  and  at  Newcastle, 
where  she  was  stationed,  she  was  better  informicd  of  the 
movements  of  the  Scots  than  the  latter  were  of  her  prepa- 
rations for  resistance.  The  English  army  assembled  in  the 
park  of  Auckland,  unknown  to  King  David.  No  comman- 
der-in-chief had  been  appointed  ;  but  four  prelates  and  as 
many  barons  marched  at  the  head  of  the  troops,  and  the 
good  dame,  Queen  Philippa,  prayed  and  admonished  them 
to  do  their  duty  well,"  says  Froissart.  As  she  was  return- 
ing to  Newcasde,  on  the  17th  of  October,  Douglas,  the 
Lord  of  Liddesdale,  who  was  coming  back  from  a  plunder- 
ing expedition,  fell  among  the  English,  whose  presence  he 
did  not  suspect,  and  with  difficulty  cut  his  way  through 
them.  The  King  of  Scotland  immediately  drew  up  his 
forces  on  the  plain  of  Nevil's  Cross.  He  fought  valiantly  ; 
but ,  having  been  twice  wounded,  he  was  made  a  prisoner 
by  a  plain  esquire,  named  John  Copeland,  who  conducted 
him  to  his  castle.  The  Scottish  earls  and  barons  lay 
stretched  upon  the  field  of  battle,  or  had  fallen  alive  into 
the  hands  of  their  enemies.  The  queen  was  rejoicing  at 
Newcastle  ;  she  sent  to  John  Copeland,  commanding  that 
the  King  of  Scotland  should  be  given  up  to  her.  I  will 
surrender  him  to  no  man  or  woman  except  my  lord,  the 
King  of  England,"  replied  the  worthy  esquire;  ''and  be 
not  uneasy  upon  his  account,  for  I  intend  to  keep  him  so 
carefully  that  I  will  render  good  account  of  him."  The 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  XT. 


queen  was  not  quite  satisfied,  however,  and  with  the  good 
news  of  victory  the  reply  of  the  stubborn  esquire  arrived  at 
Calais.  King  Edward  had  great  joy  in  the  good  fortune 
that  God  had  bestowed  on  his  people,  and  he  immediately 
summoned  John  Copeland  to  come  to  him  at  Calais.  The 
esquire  placed  his  prisoner  in  a  place  of  safety,  in  a  strong 
castle,  on  the  borders  of  Northumberland  and  Galloway, 
and  proceeded  to  Calais,  to  the  quarters  of  the  king." 

Welcome,"  said  Edward,  on  seeing  Copeland,  my 
faithful  esquire,  who  by  your  valor  have  made  a  prisoner 
of  our  adversary  the  King  of  Scotland."  Sire,"  said 
John,  kneeling,  God  in  His  great  goodness  has  so  willed 
it  that  He  has  delivered  the  King  of  Scotland  into  my 
hands,  for  He  can,  if  it  please  Him,  bestow  His  grace  upon 
a  poor  esquire  as  well  as  upon  a  great  nobleman.  And, 
sire,  do  not  bear  me  any  ill-will  if  I  did  not  immediately 
surrender  him  to  the  queen,  for  it  is  to  you  that  I  have 
sworn  allegiance."  The  king  smiled.  But  you  will  now 
take  your  prisoner,  John,"  he  said,  and  take  him  to  my 
wife."  And  he  loaded  with  presents  the  esquire,  who 
returned  well  content.  King  David  Vv^as  promptly  lodged 
in  the  Tower  of  London. 

The  war  still  continued  in  Brittany.  Charles  of  Blois  had 
been  made  a  prisoner  before  Roche-Derrien,  on  the  i8th 
of  June,  1347,  and  had  joined  King  David  in  his  captivity ; 
while  Joan  the  Lame  was  maintaining  the  struggle  against 
the  allies  of  the  Count  of  Montfort,  who  were  still  directed 
by  her  mother,  the  Countess  Joan,  and  against  the  sudden 
attacks  of  Joan  dc  Bcllville,  the  widow  of  Oliver  de  Clisson. 
This  women's  war  was  neither  the  least  skilful  nor  the 
least  sanguinary.    Edward  HI.  was  still  before  Calais. 

The  town  was  reduced  to  the  last  extremity.  Twice 
already  had  the  non-combatants  been  expelled.  Sheltered 
on  the  first  occasion  by  King  Edward,  these  unhappy 


Chap.  XI.]     THE  HUNDRED   YEARS'   WAR.  311 

wretches,  driven  out  of  the  famine-stricken  town,  were 
dying  of  hunger  and  misery  between  the  two  camps.  John 
of  Vienne,  a  vahant  knight  in  command  at  Calais,  had  sent 
information  to  King  PhiHp  of  the  desperate  situation  in 
which  he  was  placed.  Remember,  sire,  that  there 
remains  nothhig  uneaten  in  the  town ;  not  a  dog,  a  cat,  or 
a  horse;  so  that  of  provisions  we  can  find  none  in  the  place 
— unless  we  eat  the  flesh  of  our  people."  Philip  of  Valois 
unfurled  the  oriflamme,  and  summoned  his  knights  round 
it,  to  march  to  the  deliverance  of  his  good  town  of  Calais. 

The  rejoicing  was  general  inside  the  town  ;  the  banners 
of  the  French  army  were  visible  flying  in  the  air,  and  their 
white  tents  glistened  in  the  sun  on  the  Mount  of  Sangatte. 
The  citizens  eilready  thought  that  their  deliverance  had 
been  effected.  But  the  King  of  England  had  taken  his  pre- 
cautions ;  the  road  along  the  downs  was  protected  by  Eng- 
lish vessels,  v/ell  furnished  with  archers.  The  road  across 
the  marshes  was  defended  by  the  Earl  of  Derby,  who  w^as 
stationed  on  the  bridge  of  Nieulay,  which  the  king  had  for- 
tified with  towers.  The  quartermasters  of  the  French 
army,  after  having  examined  the  ground,  informed  the  king 
that  it  was  impossible  to  cross  it.  Thereupon  King  Philip 
sent  emissaries  to  the  King  of  England,  to  pray  and  re- 
quire him  to  choose  with  them  a  spot  whereon  one  might 
fight,  and  thither  to  come  and  confront  the  King  of 
France." 

Edward  had  formerly  challenged  King  Philip,  who  had 
declined  to  encounter  him.  It  was  now  his  turn  :  My 
lord,"  he  said  to  the  emissary  from  the  French  camp,  I 
duly  heard  that  which  you  demand  of  me  on  the  part  of 
my  adversary,  who  wrongfully  holds  my  just  inheritance  to 
my  injury.  Therefore  tell  him  that  I  have  been  here 
during  more  than  a  year,  that  this  was  well  known  to  him, 
and  that  he  might  have  come  sooner  had  he  pleased.  I 


3^2 


HISTORY    OF   EXGLAND.       [Chap.  XL 


have  spent  heavily  of  my  substance,  and  I  expect  very 
shortly  to  be  master  of  the  town  of  Calais.  Therefore  I 
am  not  in  a  mind  to  obey  his  bidding  and  his  convenience, 
nor  to  let  go  what  I  have  conquered,  what  I  have  so  ar- 
dently desired  and  so  dearly  paid  for.  If  his  men  cannot 
pass  that  way,  let  them  go  round  to  seek  a  path." 

This  message  was  reported  to  the  King  of  France,  'Svho 
was  incensed  thereat,''  says  Froissart,  but  who  made  no 
effort,  and  again  took  the  road  towards  Amiens.  The  ban- 
ners disappeared  from  Mount  Sangatte ;  the  tents  were 
struck,  and  inside  the  town  despair  succeeded  to  the  hope 
which  had  for  awhile  sustained  the  brave  citizens.  John 
de  Vienne  ascended  the  v/alls  of  the  town  and  made  a  sign 
that  he  wished  to  hold  a  parley.  Sir  Walter  de  Manny 
immediately  approached  him.  *'Good  sir,"  said  the  brave 
governor,  **you  see  that  our  succor  has  failed.  Beg  your 
king  to  have  mercy  upon  us,  and  to  let  us  walk  out  as  we 
are ;  he  will  find  in  the  town  and  the  castle  enough  of 
goods." 

Sir  Walter  de  Manny  knew  of  the  anger  which  the  king 
his  master  had  against  the  inhabitants  of  Calais.  He  shook 
his  head.  Sir  John,  Sir  John,"  he  said,  ''the  king  our 
master  will  not  let  you  go  as  you  have  said  ;  it  is  his  in- 
tention that  you  shall  all  submit  to  his  will."  ''Never," 
said  John  de  Vienne.  And  he  retired  within  the  town, 
while  the  English  knights  were  proceeding  to  carry  the 
news  of  what  had  passed  to  the  king.  "  You  might  well 
be  wrong  sire,"  said  Walter  de  Manny,  "  for  you  set  us  a 
bad  example.  If  you  should  wish  to  send  us  to  your  for- 
tresses, we  should  not  go  so  willingly,  if  you  cause  these 
people  to  be  put  to  death  ;  for  thus  should  we  be  served 
under  similar  circumstances."  King  Edward  remained 
gloomy  ;  all  the  barons  agreed  with  Sir  Walter.  At  length 
Edward  exclaimed,  "  Gentlemen,  I  will  not  remain  alone 


Chap.  XT.]    THE  HUNDRED  YEARS'  WAR, 


against  you  all.  Walter,  you  shall  go  to  those  in  Calais, 
and  inform  the  commander  that  the  utmost  mercy  which 
they  will  find  in  me  is,  that  there  shall  issue  forth  from  the 
town  of  Calais  six  of  the  most  distinguished  citizens  bare- 
headed and  barefooted,  with  halters  round  their  necks,  and 
the  keys  of  the  town  and  the  castle  in  their  hands ;  and 
with  these  I  will  do  as  I  please.  I  will  show  mercy  to  the 
others.'' 

Sir  Walter  had  borne  the  king's  message  to  Calais.  The 
consternation  was  great  in  the  public  square,  where  all  the 
inhabitants  were  assembled.  They  wept  bitterly  ;  even 
Sir  John  de  Vienne  conceived  such  pity  for  them  that  he 
cried  most  tenderly." 

At  length  arose  the  richest  citizen  of  the  town,  who 
was  called  Eustache  of  Saint-Pierre,  and  said  in  the  pres- 
ence of  all,  '  Gentlemen,  great  pity  and  great  wrong  would 
it  be  to  leave  so  great  a  number  of  persons  as  are  here  to 
perish,  by  famine  or  otherwise,  when  some  other  means 
can  here  be  found ;  and  I  have  such  great  hope  of  receiv- 
ing grace  and  forgiveness  through  our  Lord,  if  I  die  to  save 
these  people,  that  I  wish  to  be  the  first,  and  will  willingly 
place  myself  in  my  shirt  bareheaded,  barefooted,  and 
with  a  halter  round  my  neck,  at  the  mercy  of  the  King 
of  England.'  And  when  Eustache  had  uttered  these  words, 
several  men  and  women  threw  themselves  at  his  feet,  weep- 
ing tenderly,  and  it  was  greatly  affecting  to  be  there  and 
to  hear,  listen  to,  and  look  at  them." 

The  example  of  devotion  is  contagious.  John  d'Aire, 
"  a  worthy  citizen,  who  had  two  beautiful  damsels  for 
daughters,  declared  that  he  would  accompany  his  fellow- 
citizen,  Eustache."  James  and  Peter  de  Vissant  did  like- 
wise, then  two  others,  and  the  six  citizens,  in  their  shirts 
and  barefooted,  with  a  rope  round  their  necks,  the  keys  of 
the  town  in  their  hands,  issued  forth  from  Calais,  conduct- 


314  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,         [Chap.  XI. 

ed  by  Sir  John  de  Vienne,  upon  his  Httle  horse,  for  he 
was  too  unwell  to  walk.  Amidst  the  cries  and  tears  of  the 
population  he  consigned  the  condemned  men  to  Walter 
de  Manny.  "  I  beg  you,  gentle  sir,"  he  said,  to  intercede 
for  them  with  the  King  of  England,  that  these  poor  men 
may  not  be  put  to  death.''  The  worthy  knight  was  anx- 
ious to  do  so,  but  he  advanced  without  speaking  until  they 
arrived  before  the  King  of  England. 

Edward  was  in  the  road  outside  his  residence ;  all  his 
knights  surrounded  him.  Queen  Philippa  was  by  his  side. 
*  When  he  saw  the  citizens,  he  remained  very  still  and 
looked  very  cruelly  at  them,  for  he  hated  those  of  Calais 
for  the  great  damage  and  checks  which  they  had  caused 
to  his  ships  in  bygone  times."  The  unhappy  men  had 
fallen  on  their  knees,  offering  to  the  king  the  keys  of  the 
town,  and  begging  for  mercy.  All  the  barons  were  in 
tears,  being  unable  to  restrain  themselves  for  pity;"  but 
the  king  eyed  them  angrily,  for  he  was  so  hard-hearted 
and  smitten  with  such  great  anger  that  he  was  unable  to 
speak.  At  length  he  broke  the  silence,  and  ordered  that 
they  should  presently  be  beheaded.  All  the  knights  were 
weeping  and  supplicating.  Sir  Walter  de  Manny,  who 
was  entitled  to  speak,  reproached  the  king  for  his  severity; 
but  Edward  gnaslied  his  teeth  and  said,  "  Sir  Walter,  hold 
your  peace  !  It  shall  not  be  otherwise.  Let  the  heads- 
man come  forward." 

Queen  Philippa  had  thrown  herself  on  her  knees,  cry- 
ing so  tenderly  with  compassion  that  she  could  not 
support  herself."  Ah  !  gentle  sire,"  she  said,  ''since  I 
crossed  the  sea  in  great  peril,  I  have  asked  nothing  of 
you  ;  to-day  I  beg  of  you  as  a  gift  for  the  Son  of  the 
Holy  Virgin  and  the  love  of  me,  that  you  will  have  mercy 
on  these  six  men."  The  king  waited  a  short  time  before 
speaking  ;  he  eyed  the  good  lady  his  wife.       Ah  !  lady," 


Chap.  XL]    THE  HUNDRED  FEARS'   WAR.  315 

he  said ;  "  I  should  be  but  too  pleased  were  you  elsewhere 
but  here.  You  beg  so  earnestly  that  I  dare  not  refuse 
you,  and,  although  I  do  so  with  difficulty,  take  them  ;  I 
give  them  to  you  ;  do  with  them  as  you  please/'  Then 
the  queen  rose,  saying,  My  lord,  many  thanks  And 
she  took  with  her  the  six  citizens,  and  caused  them  to  be 
clothed  and  fed  at  their  ease  ;  she  then  sent  them  away 
from  the  army  in  safety/'  They  went  and  established 
themselves  in  different  towns  in  Picardy,  while  Edward 
took  possession  of  Calais,  on  the  3rd  of  August,  1347. 
Queen  Philippa  was  quartered  in  the  house  of  John  d' Aire, 
which  the  king  had  given  to  her,  and  there  v/as  such 
merrymaking  as  was  mxarvellous,"  except  among  the  poor 
inhabitants  of  Calais,  wlio  wept  secretly  in  their  dwellings. 
The  king  had  resolved  to  establish  an  English  population 
at  Calais,  and  the  former  possessors  were  about  to  quit  for 
ever  that  town,  Avhich  they  had  so  valiantly  defended. 

Calais  had  fallen,  and  King  Edward's  vengeance  was 
appeased.  The  legates  of  the  Pope  had  recommenced 
their  work  of  conciliation.  A  truce  was  concluded,  for  a 
few  months  at  first,  and  afterwards  prolonged  from  time 
to  time  for  six  years.  The  finances  of  France  were 
exhausted  ;  the  English  Parliament  refused  the  subsidies, 
and  the  Black  Plague,  from  the  East,  was  ravaging  Europe. 
P>ance  and  England,  already  weakened  by  wars,  saw  their 
populations  decimated  by  the  pestilence.  It  was  in  vain 
that  the  Flagellants  overran  the  towns  and  villages,  lacer- 
ating themselves  with  whips,  to  appease  the  anger  of  God; 
it  was  in  vain  that  the  Jews,  accused  of  poisoning  the  foun- 
tains, were  slaughtered;  the  cemeteries  of  London  could  not 
contain  the  dead,  so  that  Sir  Walter  de  Manny  made  a 
present  to  the  city  of  a  new  site.  King  Edward  issued  an 
edict,  to  compel  all  able-bodied  men  to  accept  work;  the 
fields  remained  uncultivated,  and  famine  threatened  the  dis- 


3i6 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  XL 


tricts  ravaged  by  the  plague.  Nothwithstanding  the  am- 
nesty, fighting  was  still  carried  on  in  Guienne,  in  Brittany, 
and  as  far  as  Calais.  The  governor,  Aymeric  of  Pavia,  had 
promised  to  surrender  the  town  to  the  French  for  a  large 
sum.  Was  it  an  act  of  treachery,  and  did  he  himself  cause 
King  Edward  to  be  informed  of  the  bargain  which  he  had 
concluded  ?  This  may  be  supposed,  since  he  escaped  the 
anger  of  his  master  ;  but  the  King  of  England  crossed  the 
Channel  very  secretly,  and  arrived  at  Calais  at  the  moment 
when  Geoffrey  de  Chargny  was  approaching  to  enter  the 
town.  The  knights  proceeded  towards  the  gates. 
Edward  had  put  aside  all  his  insignia  of  royalty  and 
fought  under  the  standard  of  Walter  de  Manny.  Twice 
he  staggered  under  the  blows  of  Eustace  of  Ribaumont ; 
but,  having  at  length  triumphed  over  the  brave  Picard,  at 
the  moment  when  the  French  were  retreating  in  disorder, 
he  led  him  into  the  castle,  Ribaumont  not  knowing  the 
name  of  his  conqueror.  At  supper,  Edward  rose,  and 
taking  the  pearl  necklace  which  he  wore  on  his  hood,  he 
placed  it  upon  that  of  Sir  Eustace.  Sir  Eustace,"  said 
he,  I  give  you  this  chaplet,  as  the  best  combatant  of  the 
day,  of  those  within  and  without  the  town,  and  I  beg  that 
you  will  wear  it  this  year,  for  love  of  me,  saying  every- 
where that  I  gave  it  to  you.  I  release  you  from  your 
prison,  and  you  can  depart  to-morrow,  if  you  please." 

And  Sir  Eustace  of  Ribaumont  was  much  rejoiced." 
Aymeric  of  Pavia  had  less  reason  to  congratulate  himself 
upon  the  success  of  the  day.  Geoffrey  de  Chargny  sur- 
prised him  in  the  castle  wherein  he  had  taken  refuge,  and 
put  him  to  death  as  a  traitor. 

Another  occasion  caused  graver  danger  to  the  life  of 
King  Edward.  Tiie  Spanlsii  pirates  of  the  Bay  of  Biscay 
were  desolating  the  coast  of  Flanders  and  hampering  the 
commerce  with  England.     King  Edward    resolved  to 


Chap.  XI.]    THE  HUNDRED  YEARS'   WAR,  317 


punish  their  insolence,  and,  on  the  20th  of  August,  1350, 
after  having  cruised  about  during  three  days  between 
Dover  and  Calais,  announcement  was  made  of  the  approach 
of  the  vessels  led  by  Don  Carlos  de  La  Cerda,  the  chief 
of  the  association  of  pirates.  The  engagement  began  with 
great  fury  on  both  sides.  The  king  had  directed  his  ves- 
sel against  a  large  Spanish  ship  ;  several  leaks  had  been 
opened  by  the  shock,  and  the  English  vessel  was  about  to 
founder,  when  the  sailors,  making  a  desperate  effort, 
boarded  and  seized  the  enemy's  ship,  and  took  refuge  upon 
their  conquest.  Tlie  Prince  of  Wales,  in  a  similar  peril, 
had  been  saved  by  the  Earl  of  Derby.  After  the  victory, 
which  had  been  dearly  bought.  King  Edward  proceeded 
to  rejoin  the  queen  at  Winchelsea.  Her  servants  had 
already  brought  her  tidings  of  the  battle,  which  they  had 
anxiously  watched  from  the  heights.  A  truce  of  twenty 
years  was  concluded  between  the  King  of  England  and 
the  seaport  towns  of  Castile. 

The  armistice^  traversed  by  so  many  different  combats 
and  perils,  was  about  to  expire.  Philip  of  Valois  had 
died  in  1350,  and  his  son  John  the  Good,  had  at  first 
appeared  disposed  to  accept  the  proposals  for  peace  of  the 
King  of  England.  At  a  conference  which  had  taken 
place  at  Guienne,  Edward  offered  to  relinquish  his  preten- 
sions upon  the  kingdom  of  France,  provided  that  he  might 
obtain  absolute  possession  of  the  provinces  which  he  held 
as  vassal,  in  his  own  name  or  in  that  of  the  queen ;  but 
the  French  barons  would  not  agree  to  this  dismemberment 
of  the  territory.  The  king  was  young,  ardent,  and  fond 
of  glory,  so  did  not  resist  their  entreaties.  The  proposals 
of  the  King  of  England  were  rejected.  He  complained 
loudly  of  the  bad  faith  of  his  adversaries,  and  obtained 
money  of  Parliament  to  prepare  for  the  renewal  of  hostili- 
ties.   An  expedition  of  the  Prince  of  Wales  in  Guienne 


3i8  HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND,       [Chap.  XI. 


and  an  incursion  of  King  Edward  into  the  north  of  France, 
had  not  achieved  great  success.  The  king  was  soon  re- 
called to  England  by  an  attack  of  the  Scots  upon  Berwick, 
The  unhappy  town,  buffeted  about  from  master  to  master 
by  bloody  sieges,  had  recently  been  retaken  by  Edward, 
who  penetrated  further  into  Scotland,  and  ravaged  the 
whole  country.  According  to  the  doctrine  of  the  period, 
that  a  people  could  be  sold  or  bought,  Edward  had  paid 
Baliol  for  his  rights  to  the  throne  of  Scotland,  a  pension  of 
two  thousand  marks  of  silver,  and  once  more  claimed  to 
enslave  the  Scotch.  The  w^ant  of  provisions  in  a  devas- 
tated country  compelled  him  to  retire.  For  a  long  time 
the  memory  of  this  expedition  served  to  animate  the 
ardor  of  the  Scots  during  their  invasions  into  England. 

Remember  burnt  Candlemas,"  they  would  cry  to  each 
other.  It  was  the  title  which  had  been  given  to  that 
series  of  pillages  and  conflagrations. 

Edward  had  not  yet  quitted  England,  had  not  even  been 
able  to  send  reinforcements  to  the  Black  Prince,  as  the 
Prince  of  Wales  was  called,  by  reason  of  the  color  of  his 
arms,  when  the  latter  took  to  the  field,  towards  the  end  of 
June,  1356,  with  the  object  of  ravaging  the  French  prov- 
inces. An  expedition  of  this  kind,  in  the  preceding  year, 
had  brought  him  a  great  deal  of  booty.  He  had  overrun 
Agenois,  Limousin,  Auvergne,  and  had  arrived  as  far  as 
Berry.  Repulsed  before  Bourges  arid  Issondun,  he  had 
taken  Vierzon,  burnt  down  Romorantin,  and  was  beginning 
to  fall  back  in  the  direction  of  Guienne  with  the  fruits  of 
his  pillage,  when  King  John  quitting  Chartres,  advanced 
towards  Poictiers.  The  devastation  caused  by  the  Black 
Prince  had  exasperated  the  country  populations.  Nobody 
had  warned  him  of  the  danger  to  which  he  was  about  to 
expose  himself,  when,  in  his  turn,  he  took  the  road  to  Poic- 
tiers with  his  little  army.    Suddenly,  on  the  17th  of  Sep- 


Chap.  XI. J    THE  HUNDRED  YEARS'    WAR.  319 


tembcr,  1356,  the  English  advanced  guard  found  itself 
immediately  in  the  rear  of  the  French  forces ;  the  couriers 
saw  the  country  covered  with  troops ;  the  retreat  towards 
Guienne  was  cut  off.  ^'  May  God  interpose,"  said  the 
Prince,  seized  with  great  anxiety  ;  we  must  have  advice 
and  counsel  how  we  shall  fight  them  with  advantage." 
And  at  the  same  time  the  King  of  France  was  saying  in 
his  army,  Truly,  gentlemen,  when  you  are  at  Paris,  at 
Chartres,  at  Rouen,  or  at  Orleans,  you  threaten  the  English 
and  you  wish  to  stand  before  them  ready  for  the  fray. 
Now  are  you  there,  I  show  them  to  you  ;  here  you  must 
show  your  displeasure,  for,  without  mishap,  we  shall  fight 
them,"  And  those  who  had  heard  him  answered:  "May 
God  decide,  all  this  will  we  willingly  see." 

It  was  on  the  1 8th  of  September,  in  the  morning.  All 
the  flower  of  the  French  chivalry  thronged  around  the 
king  and  his  four  sons.  It  is  affirmed  that  the  French 
army  numbered  more  than  fifty  thousand  men.  The 
forces  of  the  Black  Prince  did  not  amount  to  twelve  thou- 
sand ;  but  the  English  had  prudently  intrenched  themselves 
behind  some  hedges  and  underwood  in  the  midst  of  the 
vines,  so  they  could  only  be  approached  by  a  narrow  road, 
lined  with  archers.  At  the  moment  when,  by  the  advice 
of  Eustace  of  Ribaumont,  the  French  knights  prepared  to 
alight  to  make  an  attack,  the  Cardinal  of  Perigord  arrived, 
begging  the  king  to  permit  him  to  negotiate  between  the 
two  armies.  "  The  English  are  but  a  handful  compared 
with  you  ;  if  you  can  capture  them,  and  cause  them  to 
place  themselves  at  your  mercy  without  giving  battle,  this 
manner  would  be  more  honorable  and  profitable  to  you." 
The  king  consented  thereto,  and  the  cardinal  promptly 
galloped  towards  the  English  army.  "  Gallant  son,"  he 
said  to  the  Black  Prince,  ''if  you  had  justly  considered  the 
power  of  the  king  of  PYance,  you  would  suffer  me  to 


320 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  XI. 


arrange  terms  with  him  for  you,  if  I  could.'*  Therefore  the 
Prince,  who  was  then  a  young  man,  answered,  My  lord, 
saving  my  honor  and  that  of  my  men,  I  am  ready  to 
listen  to  anything  in  reason.''  Thus  the  cardinal  galloped 
throughout  the  day  between  the  two  armies.  But  no 
agreement  could  be  made,  for  altliough  the  English  will- 
ingly consented  to  surrender  to  King  John  all  the  towns 
and  castles  taken  on  their  way,  to  conchide  a  truce  of 
seven  years,  and  to  release  the  prisoners ;  the  French 
demanded  that  the  Prince  of  Wales  and  a  hundred  of  his 
knights  should  surrender  before  allowing  the  remainder  of 
the  army  to  pass,  to  which  the  English  could  not  listen;" 
and  on  Monday  morning  the  French  king  angrily  told  the 
cardinal  to  return  to  Poictiers,  or  vdierever  he  pleased,  and 
never  more  to  speak  of  treaty  or  agreement,  for  that  he 
might  give  offence.  Quickly  going  away,  the  cardinal  pro- 
ceeded to  the  English  army.  "  My  gallant  son,"  he  said 
to  the  Prince,  "  do  as  you  are  able  ;  you  must  fight,  for  I 
cannot  discover  any  disposition  for  concord  or  peace  in  the 
King  of  France."  And  the  Prince  answered,  greatly  irri- 
tated, "  That  is  the  intention  of  us  and  ours,  and  may  God 
help  the  right." 

The  French  army  was  divided  into  three  great  battle- 
corps  :  the  first  was  commanded  by  the  marshals  of  France ; 
the  second  by  Charles,  duke  of  Normandy;  King  John 
was  at  the  head  of  the  third,  and  he  had  retained  by 
his  side  his  youngest  son,  Philip. 

The  Prince  of  Wales  had  placed  his  little  army  with 
great  care.  It  was  imperative  to  fight  or  perish,  for  there 
were  no  provisions.  My  gallant  lords,"  said  the  young 
man,  if  we  are  f^w  against  the  might  of  our  enemies,  let 
us  not  be  daunted,  for  virtue  and  victory  do  not  belong 
to  great  numbers,  but  to  whomsoever  God  chooses  to  send 
them.    If  it  happen  that  the  day  be  ours,  we  shall  be 


Chap.  XL]    THE  HUNDRED    YEARS'    WAR,  321 


the  most  honored  in  the  world ;  if  we  should  die,  I  have 
still  my  father  and  two  gallant  brothers,  and  you  good 
friends,  who  will  avenge  us.  Thus  I  beg  that  you  may  to- 
day know  how  to  fight  well,  for,  if  it  please  God  and  St. 
George,  you  will  see  in  me  a  good  knight." 

The  French  had  v/avered;  a  great  number  had  remained 
on  horseback,  against  the  advice  of  Ribaumont.  A  good 
English  knight,  Sir  James  Audley,  awaited  them  foremost 
in  advance,  having  vowed  to  be  the  best  combatant  in  the 
battle.  The  heavy  cavalry  and  the  warriors,  covered  with 
steel,  entered  the  narrow  path  leading  to  their  enemies. 
The  arrows  of  the  English  archers  began  to  whistle  by; 
the  brave  knights  looked  around  them  ;  they  saw  no 
assailants,  but  they  were  wounded  and  their  horses  v/ere 
falling.  They  were  obliged  to  retreat,  leaving  the  dead, 
the  dying,  and  the  wounded  horses,  who  encumbered  the 
defile.  The  army  corps  of  the  marshals  was  disconcerted, 
and  that  of  the  Duke  of  Normandy  was  beginning  to  take 
alarm.  The  experienced  eye  of  Sir  John  Chandos  was 
not  deceived  in  the  matter.  "  Ride  forward,  sire,"  he  said 
to  the  Prince  of  Wales,  for  the  day  is  yours.  Let  us 
devote  ourselves  to  your  adversary,  the  King  of  France ; 
for  there  lies  the  greater  part  of  the  day's  work,  and  I  well 
know  that  by  reason  of  his  valor  he  will  not  fly."  The 
prince  applied  his  spurs  to  his  horse,  and  quitting  his  rus- 
tic rampart,  he  advanced  into  the  open  space  where  the 
King  of  France  was  fighting.  A  detachment  of  the  archers 
attacked  at  the  same  time  the  troops  of  the  Duke  of 
Normandy,  who  took  to  flight  almost  without  striking  a 
blow.  The  English  charged,  St.  George  and  Guienne  !" 
— ''Montjoie  St.  Denis!"  v/as  the  answer  around  King 
John;  but  the  disorder  was  increasing.  The  Duke  of 
Orleans  had   disappeared  v/ith  the  reserve  forces.  The 

king  was  not  a  man  ever  to  be  frightened  by  the  things 
21 


322 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  XI. 


which  he  saw  or  heard  said,  but  still  remained  a  good 
knight,  and  fought  well."  ''Dismount!  dismount!''  he 
cried  to  all  his  followers;  and  himself  alighting  from  his 
horse,  he  marched  along  their  ranks,  battle-axe  in  hand, 
and  there,  around  him  "  there  was  a  great  number  of 
warriors,  haughty  and  cruel,  and  many  heavy  blows  were 
given  and  received/'  And  the  still  youthful  prince, 
Philip,  was  there,  crying  to  his  father :  "  Sire,  have  a  care 
on  your  right !  Sire,  have  a  care  on  your  left !''  and 
defended  him  as  much  as  he  was  able.  Meanwhile,  on  all 
sides  the  king  was  greeted  with,  ''  Surrender,  or  you  are 
a  dead  man."  He  looked  around  him.  ''  To  whom  shall 
I  surrender  ?"  he  asked  aloud.  ''Where  is  my  cousin,  the 
Prince  of  Wales  ?    If  I  could  see  him  I  would  speak." 

"  Sire,"  said  a  knight,  "he  is  not  here  ;  but  surrender  to 
me,  I  will  conduct  you  to  him."  "Who  are  you  ?"  asked 
the  king.  "  Denis  de  Morbecque,  a  knight  of  Artois  ;  but 
I  serve  the  King  of  England,  because  I  cannot  live  in  the 
kingdom  of  France,  and  because  I  have  there  forfeited  all 
my  possessions."  The  king  tendered  his  glove  to  him. 
"  I  surrender  to  you,"  he  said.  The  knight  endeavored 
to  lead  the  king  away  from  the  crowd ;  but  although  he 
was  tall  and  powerful,  everybody  crowded  round  him, 
saying,  "  I  have  captured  him  ;  I  have  captured  him,"  and 
the  king  could  not  advance,  nor  could  his  youngest  son, 
Philip.  The  Earl  of  Warwick  and  Sir  Reynold  Cobham, 
who  were  seeking  the  king  on  behalf  of  the  Prince  of 
Wales,  were  obliged  to  deliver  him  from  his  enemies,  and 
to  conduct  him  courteously  to  the  spot  where  Chandos 
had  advised  that  the  banner  of  England  should  be  planted 
to  reassemble  the  troops.  "  It  is  time  that  your  men 
should  rejoin  you,"  he  had  said,  "  for  they  arc  scattered 
and  the  day  is  yours.  You  must  refresh  yourself  a  little, 
for  I  see  that  you  are  much  heated."    The  prince  had 


Chap.  XI.]    THE  HUNDRED  YEARS'   WAR.  323 

removed  his  helmet  when  the  King  of  France  was  brought 
forward,  before  whom  he  made  a  profound  reverence  and 
received  him  as  a  king,  well  and  wisely,  and  in  the  even- 
ing he  waited  upon  him  without  ever  consenting  to  be 
seated,  notwithstanding  any  solicitation  which  the  king 
made  in  this  respect,  and  said  that  he  was  not  yet 
Sufficiently  important  to  sit  down  at  the  table  of  so  great  a 
sovereign  and  so  valiant  a  man,  who  had  that  day  sur- 
passed the  ablest.  *^And  all  deemed  that  the  Prince  had 
spoken  well." 

The  towns  and  castles  remained  closed  in  Poitou  and  in 
Saintonge,  but  the  French  army  was  not  rallied,  and  no 
attempt  was  made  to  deliver  the  king.  The  Prince  of 
Wales  hastened  to  Bordeaux,  in  order  to  place  in  safety 
his  illustrious  prisoners,  and  all  the  booty  with  which  his 
army  was  loaded.  The  Duke  of  Normandy  had  been 
created  Regent  by  the  States- general,  and  the  Black 
Prince  concluded  a  truce  of  two  years  with  him.  He 
spent  the  winter  in  Gascony ;  then  in  the  spring  (April, 
1357)  set  sail  to  conduct  to  England  King  John  and 
his  son  Philip.  Negotiations  were  in  progress  for  the 
ransom  of  the  king,  and  the  legates  of  the  Pope,  the 
ordinary  negotiators  of  the  great  treaties  between 
sovereigns,  followed  the  Prince  of  Wales  and  his  prisoners 
to  England.  John  entered  London  on  the  24th  of  April, 
upon  a  magnificent  courser,  richly  caparisoned  ;  the  Prince 
of  Wales  was  at  his  side  upon  a  small  black  horse.  King 
Edward  had  come  forward  to  meet  his  illustrious  captive, 
and  all  the  court  hastened  to  do  him  honor.  King  John 
consoled  himself  easily  enough  in  his  captivity. 

Already  for  six  years  past  Edward  had  been  in  treaty 
with  the  Scottish  Parliament  for  the  ransom  of  King 
David  Bruce.  Twice  the  latter  had  been  enabled  to  visit 
his  kingdom,  in  order  to  induce  his  subjects  to  redeem 


324 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  XL 


him ;  but  Scotland  was  poor,  and  the  demands  of  Edward 
were  exorbitant.  It  was  not  until  the  month  of  October, 
1357,  that  the  treaty  was  at  length  concluded,  and  that 
David  was  enabled  to  return  to  his  kingdom  after  an  im- 
prisonment of  eleven  years.  But  his  subjects  soon  per- 
ceived the  influence  which  his  long  sojourn  in  England  had 
exercised  over  their  weak  sovereign.  When  Queen  Jane 
died,  without  issue,  in  1362,  David  proposed  to  the  Scot- 
tish Parliament  to  select  as  his  heir,  Lionel,  the  third  son 
of  the  King  of  England,  to  the  exclusion  of  his  nephew, 
the  Stewart  ^  of  Scotland.  The  indignation  of  the  Scottish 
Parliament  did  not  put  an  end  to  the  project.  Some 
delay  in  the  payment  of  the  ransom  furnished  an  excuse 
to  King  Edward,  and,  until  the  death  of  King  David,  in 
1 37 1,  the  intrigues  of  the  English  continued  to  agitate 
Scotland.  His  nephev/  succeeded  him,  without  opposi- 
tion, and  assumed  the  title  of  Robert  II. 

While  Scottish  affairs  were  occupying  Edward  III.,  the 
treaty  with  France  still  remained  pending.  The  con- 
ditions required  by  the  English  were  so  harsh,  that  King 
John,  although  a  prisoner,  hesitated  to  accept  them. 
Besides  an  enormous  sum  for  the  ransom  of  the  king, 
Edward  claimed  to  retain  all  his  conquests  in  France,  and 
to  secure  all  the  possessions  formerly  belonging  to  his 
family,  not  as  an  appanage  or  fief,  but  as  a  property. 
While  the  negotiations  were  being  prolonged,  the  con- 
dition of  France  became  daily  more  critical.  The  evil 
genius  of  the  royal  family,  Charles  the  Bad,  king  of 
Navarre,  had  escaped  from  the  prison  where,  for  a  long 
time,  he  had  been  confined.  He  had  allied  himself  to  the 
citizens  of  Paris,  who  wished  to  exert  a  certain  amount  of 
influence  in  their  affairs,  a  power  which  was  contested  by 

1  Sti'ivart^  seneschal,  an  liereditary  tiUe,  which  subsequently  became  the 
family  name  of  the  Stuarts. 


Chap.  XL]    THE  HUNDRED  YEARS'    WAR,  325 

the  Dauphin  ^  and  his  council.  The  population  of  Paris, 
incited  by  their  chiefs,  soon  escaped  from  the  authority  of 
the  latter,  who  found  themselves  drawn  along  irresistibly 
with  the  current.  Riot  succeeded  riot ;  two  of  the  advisers 
of  the  Dauphin  were  slain  under  his  eyes,  on  the  22nd  of 
February,  1358,  and  his  chancellor  was  compelled  to  fly. 
The  contagion  spread  throughout  the  whole  of  France;  as 
Paris  had  had  its  Maillotins  (workmen  armed  with  mallets), 
France  in  general  had  its  Jacquerie,  an  insurrection  of  the 
serfs,  who  were  ironically  called  Jacqites  BonJiomme, 
Everywhere  fearful  massacres  took  place,  and  the  Dauphin, 
compelled  to  arm  against  the  peasants  of  his  kingdom,  had 
no  leisure  to  think  of  the  demands  of  King  Edward.  The 
insurrection  was  scarcely  at  an  end,  when  King  John 
accepted  the  proposals  of  the  King  of  England ;  but  as 
soon  as  the  conditions  of  the  treaty  were  known  in  France, 
the  States-general  rejected  them  with  indignation.  The 
dismemberment  of  the  country  was  impossible  ;  peace  and 
the  liberty  of  the  king  were  too  dearly  bought  at  this 
price. 

King  Edward  knew  the  proud  obstinacy  of  the  English 
Parliament ;  he  was  indignant,  however,  to  find  a  similar 
resistance  from  the  French  States-general,  and  complaining 
of  perfidy,  he  entered  France  on  the  28th  of  October,  1359. 
He  had  traversed  Picardy,  Artois,  and  Cambresis,  con- 
signing everything  to  fire  and  sword,  when  he  arrived 
before  Rheims,  where  he  proposed  to  be  crowned  King  of 
France.  In  vain  did  he  besiege  that  town  during  seven 
weeks.  The  Archbishop  and  the  citizens  did  not  suffer 
themselves  to  be  intimidated  by  the  fate  of  Calais,  and  de- 
fended the  place  so  valiantly  that  Edward  was  compelled 

1  The  eldest  son  of  the  King  of  France  had  recently  assumed  the  title  of 
Dauphin,  in  consequence  of  the  cession  of  Dauphin(i  to  France  by  Humbert 
II.,  the  last  Dauphin  of  the  Viennois, 


326 


HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND.       [Chap.  XI. 


to  retire.  He  entered  Burgundy,  but  the  Duke  Philip 
purchased  his  withdrawal  with  a  large  sum  of  money  and 
a  promise  of  neutrality.  The  King  of  England  took  the 
road  to  Paris.  His  army  had  suffered  greatly  during  the 
winter  ;  the  month  of  March  had  been  rough,  and  the  ne- 
gotiations which  had  been  opened  during  the  festival  of 
Easter  not  having  brought  about  any  result,  Edward  was 
compelled  to  retire.  The  Dauphin  had  not  responded  to 
his  challenge,  and  the  English  army,  unfit  to  attack  the 
capital,  fell  back  towards  Brittany,  after  having  burnt  the 
suburbs  of  Paris.  'The  road  was  strewn  with  the  bodies 
of  men  and  horses,  succumbing  to  fatigue  and  misery.  At 
length,  in  tlie  neighborhood  of  Chartres,  a  fearful  storm 
surprised  the  English  in  the  open  plain.  The  son  of  the 
Earl  of  Warwick  was  killed  by  a  thunderbolt  beside  the 
king.  Struck  by  this  terrible  warning,  Edward  leapt  from 
his  horse,  and  vowed  to  God  and  Our  Lady  of  Chartres  no 
longer  to  reject  the  proposals  for  peace,  provided  that  they 
should  be  consistent  with  his  honor ;  and  conferences 
were  opened  a  few  days  afterwards,  at  Bretigny,  a  small 
village  where  Edward  halted.  Peace  was  at  length  con- 
cluded on  the  8th  of  May,  1360.  The  King  of  England 
renounced  his  pretensions  to  the  kingdom  of  France,  and 
restored  all  his  conquests,  with  the  exception  of  Calais  and 
Guienne.  King  John  conceded  to  him  absolutely,  for  him- 
self and  his  heirs  in  perpetuity,  Guienne,  Poitou,  Saintonge, 
Agenois,  Limousin,  Perigord,  and  the  county  of  Ponthieu. 
A  ransom  of  three  millions  of  golden  crowns  was  to  be 
paid  within  six  years  for  the  release  of  the  king;  twenty- 
five  French  barons,  forty-two  burgesses,  and  sixteen  of  the 
most  important  prisoners  captured  at  Poictiers,  were  to 
serve  as  hostages  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  treaty. 

These  conditions,  harsh  as  they  yet  remained,  were  so 
much  better  than  the  first  proposals  of  King  Edward,  that 


I 


Chap.  XI.]    THE  HUNDRED   YEARS'   WAR.  327 

after  much  intriguing  and  hesitation,  they  were  at  length 
solemnly  ratified  by  the  two  sovereigns  at  Calais,  on  the 
24tli  of  October,  1360,  with  this  strange  clause,  that  the 
definitive  renunciations  by  the  monarchs,  of  the  possessions 
which  they  ceded,  should  not  take  place  until  the  festival 
of  the  Assumption  in  the  following  year.  On  the  morrow, 
the  25  th  of  October,  King  John  was  restored  to  liberty, 
and  King  Edward  embarked  for  England. 

The  festival  of  tlie  Assumption  had  passed  by,  as  well  as 
many  other  holidays,  but  the  conditions  of  the  treaty  of 
Bretigny  were  not  yet  fulfilled  :  the  financial  distress  of 
France  had  not  admitted  of  raising  the  sums  promised  for 
the  ransom.  The  land  was  ravaged  by  the  free  bands,  for- 
merly in  the  pay  of  the  belligerents,  but  who,  having  no 
employment  since  the  peace,  had  lived  by  plunder  and 
rapine.  They  proceeded  from  province  to  province, 
wherever  there  still  remained  any  resources;  and  they  de- 
feated John  of  Bourbon,  who  had  been  despatched  against 
them  by  the  Dauphin.  The  States- general  murmured  at 
the  conditions  of  the  treaty.  King  John  saw  nothing  in  his 
kingdom  but  oppression  and  misery ;  he  could  not  fulfil 
his  engagements,  and  as  a  crowning  disgrace,  one  of  his 
hostages,  his  own  son,  the  Duke  of  Anjou,  having  been 
brought  to  Calais  with  the  other  knigJits  of  the  Lily — a 
designation  applied  to  his  brother,  the  Duke  of  Berry,  his 
uncle,  the  Duke  of  Orleans,  and  his  cousin,  the  Duke  of 
Bourbon — shamelessly  broke  his  word,  by  flying  from  prison 
to  repair  to  Paris.  King  John  was  weary  of  the  struggle 
and  wounded  in  his  pride  and  his  loyalty  ;  perchance  also 
he  remembered  the  rejoicings  which  had  been  instituted  in 
his  honor  in  London,  so  he  announced  that  he  was  about 
to  return  to  England.  Were  honor  banished  from  the 
whole  earth,"  he  proudly  said,  it  would  be  found  again 
in  the  heart  of  a  king."  He  arrived  in  London  at  the  begin- 


328 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND, 


[Chap.  XI. 


ning  of  the  year  1 364 ;  but  before  being  able  to  resume  nego 
tiations,  he  fell  ill,  and  died  on  the  8th  of  April.  His  body 
was  brought  back  to  France,  with  all  royal  magnificence, 
and  the  Dauphin  became  king  under  the  title  of  Charles  V. 

While  the  perplexities  of  the  government  in  France  had 
hindered  the  consolidation  of  peace,  the  Prince  of  Wales 
had  been  married,  on  the  loth  of  October,  1361,  to  the 
woman  whom  he  had  loved  all  his  lifetime,  his  cousin  Joan, 
daughter  of  Edmund,  earl  of  Kent.  She  had  already  been 
twice  married,  and  her  second  husband,  Lord  Holland, 
had  recently  died.  Happy  at  length,  the  Black  Prince 
established  himself  with  his  wife,  in  Aquitaine,  and  held  at 
Bordeaux  a  magnificent  court,  the  school  for  all  good 
chivalry,  while  he  labored  to  restore  order  in  these  pro- 
vinces, so  long  desolated  by  war. 

King  Charles  V.  had  found  means  of  ridding  himself  of 
the  free  companies.  The  King  of  Castile,  Peter  IV.,  had 
deserved  his  surname  of  "  the  Cruel for  a  scries  of  crimes 
which  had  exasperated  the  people.  His  brother,  Henry 
of  Transtamare,  exiled  by  him,  and  burning  with  a  desire 
to  avenge  his  mother  and  all  his  relatives  assassinated  by  the 
tyrant,  had  taken  refuge  in  France,  asking  the  assistance 
of  King  Charles  V.  The  latter  offered  the  services  of  the 
free  companies  ;  the  good  knight  Bertrand  du  Guesclin, 
already  famous  among  the  most  illustrious  warriors  of  his 
time,  concluded  a  treaty  with  the  chiefs  of  the  different 
bands,  and,  placing  himself  at  their  head,  crossed  the 
Pyrenees  under  the  orders  of  Henry  of  Transtamare,  who 
was  soon  placed  upon  the  throne  of  Castile,  almost  with- 
out striking  a  blow.  In  vain  did  Peter  the  Cruel  call  to 
his  aid  all  his  vassals  ;  they  were  too  happy  to  see  them- 
selves delivered  from  his  yoke,  and  when  the  tyrant  was 
compelled  to  take  to  flight,  he  took  refuge  at  Bordeaux, 
begging  the  assistance  of  the  Prince  of  Wales. 


Chap.  XL]    THE   HUNDRED    YEARS'    WAR,  329 

Passion  blinds  the  most  clear-sighted  men :  the  noble 
character  of  the  Black  Prince  had  nothing  in  common 
with  the  savage  ferocity  and  calculating  perfidy  of  Peter 
the  Cruel ;  but  the  prince  thought  this  king  ill-used  by  his 
brother  and  his  subjects.  France  had  embraced  the  cause 
of  Henry  of  Transtamare,  and  England  thought  herself 
constrained  to  support  his  rival.  He  had  brouglit  with 
him  his  two  daughters,  who  remained  at  the  court  of  Bor- 
deaux, where  they  were  married,  a  few  years  later,  to  two 
sons  of  King  Edward,  the  Duke  of  Lancaster  and  the  Earl 
of  Cambridge.  The  first  rumor  of  the  intentions  of  the 
Black  Prince  caused  a  secession  from  the  army  of  Du  .Gues- 
cHn  of  some  of  his  best  bands.  Sir  John  Calverley  and  Sir 
Robert  Knowles,  with  twelve  thousand  men,  immediately 
abandoned  Henry  of  Transtamare  and  proceeded  into 
Guienne,  assembling  under  the  banner  of  their  legitimate 
chief.  The  King  of  Navarre  delivered  up  the  passage 
through  the  Pyrenees,  and  in  the  month  of  February,  1367, 
in  spite  of  cold,  snow,  and  scarcity  of  provisions  in  a  poor 
country,  thirty  thousand  men  crossed  the  defiles  of  the 
mountains  under  the  command  of  the  Prince  of  Wales  and 
Peter  the  Cruel,  and  on  the  third  of  April  a  battle  was 
fought  between  the  two  pretenders  upon  the  plain  of  Na- 
varette.  The  combat  was  fierce.  A  portion  of  the  Span- 
iards had  given  way;  but  Henry  of  Transtamare,  sup- 
ported by  Du  Guesclin,  resolutely  defended  himself  At 
length  the  latter  was  made  a  prisoner,  and  the  rout  was 
complete.  Don  Henry  fled  and  took  refuge  in  Arragon. 
Six  thousand  men  remained  upon  the  field  of  battle,  and 
two  thousand  prisoners  were  in  the  hands  of  Peter  the 
Cruel.  He  was  preparing  to  slaughter  them,  when  the 
Prince  of  Wales  demanded  mercy  for  them,  and  the  king 
did  not  dare  to  refuse  it ;  but  he  had  no  intention  of  ful- 
filling the  promises  which  he  had  made  at  Bordeaux. 


330 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND,        [Chap.  XI. 


From  his  camp  at  Valladolid,  the  prince  repeatedly  sent  to 
Peter  the  Cruel,  demanding  the  money  which  he  had 
undertaken  to  pay  for  the  expenses  of  the  war.  No  answer, 
no  visit  from  the  king,  no  provisions  ;  while  the  English 
army  was  decimated  by  sickness,  by  the  climate,  ana  by 
want.  The  prince  himself  was  suffering  from  a  fever. 
Weary  of  waiting,  and  convinced  of  the  perfidy  of  his  ally, 
he  raised  his  camp  on  the  26th  of  June,  and  returned  to 
Guienne.  Peter  the  Cruel  had  momentarily  regained  his 
throne,  but  the  treasury  of  England  was  empty  ;  the  health 
of  the  Black  Prince  was  for  ever  destroyed,  his  character 
embittered  by  suffering  and  deceptions,  and  the  barons 
of  Aquitaine  were  beginning  to  murmur  and  to  turn  unwill- 
ingly toward  France. 

Charles  V.  deserved  his  title  of  the  Wise.''  Prudent 
and  foreseeing,  but  too  weak  in  body  to  have  any  taste  for 
warfare,  he  directed  the  affairs  of  the  kingdom  from  his 
seat,  with  a  firm  moderation  to  which  the  French,  like 
their  enemies,  had  not  been  accustomed  under  his  prede- 
cessors. When  the  Poitevins  presented  themselves  before 
Charles  V.,  as  the  liege  lord,  to  complain  of  the  excessive 
taxes  imposed  by  the  Black  Prince,  he  temporized,  gave 
vague  answers,  and  retained  the  complainants  at  Paris, 
while  his  brother,  the  Duke  of  Anjou,  governor  of  Lan- 
guedoc,  was  fostering  the  discontent  in  the  provinces  of 
the  south  belonging  to  the  English. 

The  Spanish  ally  of  the  Black  Prince  had  recently 
received  the  reward  of  all  his  crimes.  Scarcely  had  the 
English  retired,  when  Don  Henry  had  again  taken  the 
field,  and  for  the  second  time  he  had  dethroned  his  brother. 
As  he  was  besieging  him  in  a  fortified  castle,  they  met 
in  the  tent  of  a  French  knight.  Peter  immediately 
seized  his  brother  by  the  throat,  and  threw  him  to  the 
ground.    Henry  drew  his  dagger,  and  Peter,  stabbed  to 


Chap.  XI. J    THE  HUNDRED   YEARS'  WAR, 


331 


the  heart,  died  immediately.  An  offensive  and  defensive 
aUiance  had  recently  been  concluded  between  France  and 
Spain  (20th  of  November,  1368),  and  King  Charles  V., 
publicly  taking  his  course,  summoned  Edward,  Prince  of 
Aquitaine,  to  appear  at  Paris  before  his  peers,  there  to 
answer  the  complaints  of  his  vassals. 

Since  the  treaty  of  Bretigny,  King  Edward  and  his  son 
had  no  longer  recognized  the  superiority  of  France.  "  I 
will  go,*'  said  the  Black  Prince,  but  with  sixty  thousand 
lances.'*  His  father  was  better  aware  of  the  difficulty  of 
the  undertaking ;  he  made  moderate  proposals  to  Charles 
v.,  simply  claiming  the  sovereignty  of  Aquitaine  ;  but 
Charles  V.,  seeing  the  English  Parliament  wearied  of  the 
wars,  King  Edward  aged  and  tired,  and  the  Black  Prince 
ill,  maintained  his  pretension,  and  the  French  troops 
entered  into  Poitou,  Guienne,  and  Limousin.  The  discon- 
tented and  capricious  inhabitants  almost  always  lent  their 
support  to  the  French.  King  Edward  sent  his  second  son, 
the  Duke  of  Lancaster,  with  considerable  reinforcements, 
to  the  assistance  of  the  Black  Prince ;  but,  while  he  was 
overrunning  the  northern  provinces.  King  Charles  not 
permitting  any  important  engagement  to  take  place,  the 
conquests  of  the  French  extended  in  the  South,  and  the 
Prince  of  Wales,  dangerously  ill,  found  himself  compelled 
to  take  the  field  upon  a  litter.  The  Dukes  of  Anjou  and 
Berry  did  not  await  him;  they  had  left  garrisons  in  the 
towns,  but  had  retired  when  the  prince  advanced  against 
Limoges.  He  had  formerly  lavished  his  favors  upon  that 
town,  which  the  Bishop  had  surrendered  to  the  French, 
and  he  had  sworn,  by  the  soul  of  his  father,  not  to  move 
thence  nor  do  any  thing  until  he  should  recapture  it. 
The  siege  progressed  slowly,  the  citizens  bravely  support- 
ing the  garrison,  for  they  feared  the  vengeance  of  the  prince. 
The  latter  conducted  the  military  operations  with  a  savage 


332 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,       [Chap.  XI. 


fury  which  he  had  never  before  manifested.  At  length,  at 
the  end  of  a  month,  a  large  mine  opened  a  breach  in  the 
walls  of  the  town  ;  the  besiegers  sprang  inside,  and  the  mas- 
sacre began.  Women,  children,  and  old  men  fell  upon  their 
knees,  crying,  Mercy!  such  poor  folks  could  not  have  been 
concerned  in  defending  the  town,'^  but  none  received  quar- 
ter. The  knights  and  men  at  arms  of  the  garrison  still  de- 
fended themselves  heroically  in  the  streets  ;  three  of  them 
planted  themselves  against  a  wall,  and  made  such  good  use  of 
their  sv/ords  that  the  Prince  of  Wales,  while  passing  by  in 
his  litter,  was  struck  with  admiration,  and  received  them 
as  prisoners  to  be  ransomed.  The  humble  people,  who 
were  really  martyrs,''  says  Froissart,  were  all  dead  ;  the 
town  was  fired,  and  the  Prince  of  Wales  had  retired.  He 
had  exhausted  his  strength,  and,  in  the  hope  of  regaining 
his  health  under  his  native  sky,  set  out  for  England,  leav- 
ing to  his  brother  John  of  Gaunt,  Duke  of  Lancaster,  the 
care  of  prosecuting  the  war.  The  military  career  of  the 
Black  Prince  was  ended  ;  six  years  of  illness  and  languor 
were  to  bring  to  its  close  this  life  so  brilliantly  begun,  but 
unhappily  sullied  by  a  last  act  of  cruelty,  more  consistent 
with  the  general  morals  of  the  time  than  with  the  charac- 
ter hitherto  displayed  by  the  son  of  King  Edward. 

The  Duke  of  Lancaster  had  recently  married  Constance, 
the  eldest  daughter  of  Peter  the  Cruel,  and,  upon  this 
ground,  he  aspired  to  the  crown  of  Castile,  an  imprudent 
pretension  which  strengthened  the  union  of  the  king,  Don 
Henry,  with  France.  The  Earl  of  Pembroke  was  bring- 
ing reinforcements  to  the  Duke  in  June,  1372,  when  a  Span- 
ish fleet  stationed  between  La  Rochelle  and  the  Isle  of  Re, 
barred  the  passage.  An  engagement  took  place,  and  the 
English  were  completely  beaten,  their  vessels  being  either 
captured  or  scuttled.  This  disaster  was  an  unmistakeable 
blow  to  King  Edward  and  to  the  English  nation,  which 


Chap.  XL]    THE  HUNDRED  YEARS'  WAR, 


333 


was  beginning  to  look  upon  the  sea  as  its  legitimate 
empire.  The  successes  of  King  Charles  V.  were  increas- 
ing ;  he  had  placed  Bertrand  du  Guesclin  at  the  head  of 
his  armies,  and  had  made  him  Constable  of  France  ;  but 
the  remembrance  of  Crecy  and  Poictiers  was  always  before 
his  eyes;  he  did  not  permit  any  pitched  battles  to  be 
fought.  From  siege  to  siege,  from  skirmish  to  skirmish, 
Du  Guesclin  was  still  marching  forward,  sometimes  sur- 
prising the  enemy,  passing  through  their  ranks,  as  it  is  said 
in  his  memoirs,  by  a  stratagem^  which  consisted  in  strik- 
ing with  the  point  and  with  the  edge  of  the  sword ;  but 
when  the  English  presented  themselves  in  a  body,  the 
Constable  would  fall  back  upon  the  fortresses,  and  allow  a 
passage  to  the  enemy,  who  overran  the  country  but  could 
not  surround  either  the  large  towns  or  fortified  castles. 

Never  has  king  fought  so  little,  and  given  so  much 
trouble,"  said  Edward  angrily,  for  his  French  possessions 
were  diminishing  day  'by  day.  Bordeaux  and  Bayonne, 
with  a  narrow  piece  of  territory,  alone  remained  in  his 
hands  in  the  south,  and  Calais  only  in  the  north ;  so,  if  the 
faithful  ally  of  England,  the  young  Count  of  Montfort,  was 
everywhere  recognized  in  Brittany,  since  the  death  of 
Charles  of  Blois,  in  1364,  his  authority  was  too  well  con- 
tested by  Oliver  de  Clisson  to  allow  of  supporting  English 
interests  beyond  his  duchy.  John  of  Gaunt  returned  to 
England,  and  once  more,  the  legates  of  the  Pope  playing 
the  part  of  peacemakers,  a  truce  of  one  year  was  con- 
cluded at  Bruges  in  1374,  to  be  prolonged  almost  until  the 
death  of  King  Edward. 

So  many  reverses  after  so  much  glory,  had  under- 
mined in  England  the  popularity  of  the  king.  The 
finances  of  the  country  were  in  default;  every  resource 
had  been  exhausted  to  support  a  war  which  had  borne  so 
little  fruit.    Complaints,  which   people  did  not  dare  to 


334 


HISTORY    OF  ENGLAND,       [Chap.  XI. 


address  to  the  king,  reached  his  ministers,  and  even  his 
son,  the  Duke  of  Lancaster,  who  had  gradually  secured 
the  power,  in  consequence  of  the  weakness  of  his  father 
and  the  illness  of  the  Prince  of  Wales.  The  latter  re- 
mained the  idol  of  the  nation,  and,  either  through  jealousy 
of  his  brother,  or  through  dissatisfaction  at  the  state  of 
affairs,  he  lent  his  support  to  the  opposition.  The  Parlia- 
ment of  1376,  long  known  under  the  title  of  The  Good 
Parliament,"  addressed  to  the  king  a  remonstrance  con- 
cerning the  waste  of  the  public  money,  and  demanded  the 
dismissal  of  several  of  the  ministers.  Lord  Latimer  and 
Lord  Nevil  were  deprived  of  all  their  offices  ;  but  the 
object  of  the  public  hatred  and  mistrust  was  especieilly  a 
woman,  named  Alice  Perrers,  formerly  a  lady  of  the  bed- 
chamber to  Queen  Philippa,  but  who,  since  the  death  of 
the  latter,  had  acquired  such  an  influence  over  King 
Edward  that  he  had  presented  her  with  the  jewels  of  his 
wife,  and  frequently  permitted  her  to  dispense  at  her 
pleasure  the  favors  of  the  crown.  The  Commons  publicly 
demanded  that  she  should  be  banished  from  the  kingdom. 

Amidst  this  work  of  reform,  the  Parliament  suddenly 
lost  its  firmest  support. 

The  Black  Prince  died  on  the  8th  of  June,  1376.  For 
a  long  time  he  had  been  ailing,  and  unable  to  assume  in 
the  government  of  his  country  the  position  which  by  right 
belonged  to  him  ;  but  the  nation  had  always  reckoned  upon 
his  wisdom  and  justice  no  less  than  on  his  brilliant  valor ; 
a  prosperous  and  happy  reign  had  been  hoped  for,  and 
the  grief  was  general  and  protracted.  The  good  fortune 
of  England  seemed  bound  up  in  his  person,"  says  the 
chronicler  Walsingham  ;  **it  had  flourished  in  his  health, 
it  languished  in  his  illness,  and  died  at  his  death  ;  in  him 
expired  all  the  hopes  of  the  English.  For  during  his 
lifetime  neither  an  invasion  of  the  enemy  nor  an  encounter 


Chap.  XL]    THE  HUNDRED  YEARS'  WAR. 


335 


in  battle  had  been  feared/'  He  was  interred  with  great 
pomp  in  Canterbury  Cathedral,  where  he  had  formerly 
erected  a  chapel  in  memory  of  his  marriage.  At  the  es- 
pecial request  of  Parliament,  his  eldest  son  Richard  was 
thereupon  declared  heir  to  the  throne.  Fears  were  enter- 
tained concerning  the  pretensions  of  the  Duke  of  Lancas- 
ter, who  had  resumed  all  his  authority.  Sir  Peter  de  la 
Mare,  who  had  impeached  the  ministers  in  the  name  of 
Parliament,  was  arrested.  The  Bishop  of  Winchester,  Wil- 
liam of  Wykeham,  formerly  at  the  head  of  the  opposition, 
was  divested  of  his  revenues.  A  Parliament  favorable  to 
John  of  Gaunt  was  convoked  ;  it  proposed  the  recall  of 
Alice  Perrers,  the  rehabilitation  of  Lord  Latimer,  and 
other  measures  so  unpopular  that  the  palace  of  the  duke 
was  assailed  by  the  citizens  of  London,  and  his  friend  Lord 
Percy,  a  Marshal  of  England,  was  pursued  by  the  mob,  so 
that  the  prince  was  obliged  to  throw  himself  into  a  small 
boat  with  Percy,  and  take  refuge  at  Kennington,  in  the 
castle  inhabited  by  the  young  Prince  Richard  and  his 
mother.  All  the  remonstrances  of  the  Bishop  of  London 
scarcely  succeeded  in  calming  the  disturbance.  The  arms 
of  the  Duke  of  Lancaster,  at  the  gate  of  his  palace,  were 
inverted  by  the  people  as  the  escutcheon  of  a  traitor. 
When  the  duke  returned  shortly  afterwards  to  London,  all 
the  magistrates  of  the  city  were  dismissed  and  replaced 
by  his  creatures.  On  the  occasion  of  the  fiftieth  anniver- 
sary of  the  reign  of  Edward  III.,  a  general  amnesty  was 
proclaimed  ;  the  Bishop  of  Winchester  alone  was  excluded 
from  it. 

It  was  the  last  public  act  of  King  Edward  ;  this  body  so 
active  and  robust,  this  spirit  so  bold,  this  will  so  firm,  had 
nevertheless  undergone  the  effects  of  premature  old  age. 
The  ministers  were  ranging  themselves  beside  the  Duke  of 
Lancaster ;  the  opposition  was  grouped  around  the  young 


336 


HISTORY   OF  ENGLAND.        [Chap.  XI. 


Prince  Richard  and  the  Princess  of  Wales ;  the  old  king 
was  dying  alone,  with  Alice  Perrers.  It  is  even  said  that 
she  deserted  him  in  his  agony,  after  having  taken  the  royal 
ring  from  him.  The  king  lay  in  this  isolation ;  the  ser- 
vants having  dispersed  in  the  manor  of  Shene,  to  plunder 
at  their  leisure.  A  monk  entered,  crucifix  in  hand ;  he 
approached  the  unhappy  monarch,  praying  beside  him, 
and  supporting  his  expiring  head  until  the  last  sigh.  Thus 
died,  on  the  2ist  of  June,  1377,  the  great  Edward  III.,  who 
had  at  one  time  appeared  destined  to  unite  upon  his  head 
the  two  crowns  of  France  and  England.  He  died  alone,  in 
the  sixty-fifth  year  of  his  age,  leaving  to  his  grandson,  a 
child,  instead  of  the  whole  of  Aquitaine,  which  he  had 
received  from  his  father,  a  few  towns  only  upon  that  soil 
of  France  of  which  he  claimed  possession.  The  blood  of 
the  two  nations  had  flowed  during  more  than  thirty  years, 
and  the  struggle  was  as  yet  only  at  its  beginning. 


Chap.  XII.] 


BOLINGBROKE, 


337 


CHAPTER  XII. 


BOLINGBROKE. 
RICHARD    II.  (1377 — 1398).— HENRY   IV.   (1398— 1413). 


HE  little  King  Richard  was  much  fatigued  on  the 


X.  i6th  of  July,  1377  ;  it  was  found  necessary  to  place 
him  in  a  litter  to  bring  him  back  to  the  palace,  after  his 
coronation.  All  the  former  popularity  of  his  grand- 
father Edward  III.,  all  the  affection  which  his  father 
the  Black  Prince  had  inspired,  appeared  to  have  accu- 
mulated upon  his  head,  by  reason  of  the  fear  and  aver- 
sion which  were  felt  towards  John  of  Gaunt,  duke  of 
Lancaster.  The  prelates  and  barons  assembled  on  the 
morrow  of  the  coronation,  and  selected  a  council  of 
regency  of  twelve  members.  The  uncles  of  the  king 
did  not  form  part  of  this  body,  and  John  of  Gaunt  re- 
tired to  his  castle  of  Kenilworth ;  but  several  members 
of  tile  council  remained  devoted  to  him,  and  his  in- 
fluence soon  began  to  be  complained  of. 

The  King  of  France,  Charles  V.,  had  lost  no  time  in 
taking  advantage  of  the  weakness  of  the  English  gov- 
ernment :  his  fleets  overran  the  Channel,  fettering  com- 
merce and  seizing  the  British  vessels  ;  a  descent  was 
even  made  upon  the  Isle  of  Wight.  The  Parliament 
was  convoked,  and  the  Earl  of  Buckingham,  the  uncle 
of  the  king,  was  placed  at  the  head  of  the  naval  forces; 
his  expedition  against  the  French  fleet  miscarried,  and 
his  defeat  increased  the  discontent  of  the  nation.  The 
Parliament  was  composed  chiefly  of  the  enemies  of  the 
Duke  of  Lancaster,  and  when  a  kind  of  reconciliation 
had  been  effected  between  the  latter  and  the  House  of 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,   [Chap.  XII. 


Commons,  that  assembly  demanded  that  two  citizens 
of  London  should  be  entrusted  to  receive  the  money- 
voted  for  the  defence  of  the  country.  John  of  Gaunt 
started  for  France  with  a  large  army  (1378). 

The  King  of  Navarre,  still  at  war  with  Charles  V.j, 
held  a  portion  of  Normandy;  he  had  surrendered 
Cherbourg  to  the  English.  The  Duke  of  Brittany^ 
J  ohn  de  Montfort,  being  reduced  to  the  last  extremity 
by  the  successes  of  Bertrand  du  Guesclin,  had  con- 
signed Brest  to  them  ;  but  these  acquisitions  were  due 
to  the  free  will  of  the  allies  of  England,  and  not  to  its 
arms.  John  of  Gaunt  was  defeated  before  St.  Malo  ; 
and,  being  pursued  by  Du  Guesclin,  was  compelled  to 
return  to  England^  while  the  Scots,  at  the  instigation 
of  France,  invaded  the  northern  counties  and  took 
possession  of  Berwick  Castle.  A  Scottish  pirate^ 
named  John  Mercer,  devastated  the  coast  as  far  as 
Scarborough.  A  London  merchant,  named  John 
Philpot,  on  the  other  hand,  armed  a  small  fleet,  and 
hastening  to  the  encounter  of  Mercer,  recaptured  from 
him  all  the  vessels  which  the  latter  had  seized  ;  cap- 
tured, besides,  fifteen  Spanish  ships,  and  returned 
triumphantly  into  the  Thames,  amid  the  plaudits  of  his 
fellow-citizens,  and  to  the  indignation  of  the  council, 
which  reprimanded  the  alderman  for  the  boldness  of 
his  undertaking. 

The  Parliament  had  assembled  at  Gloucester,  dis- 
aff'ected  and  exacting.  The  Commons  asked  to  ex- 
amine the  accounts,  which  was  granted  to  them  as  a 
favor.  John  de  Montfort  had  recently  taken  refuge  in 
England,  banished  from  his  dominions  by  King  Charles 
v.,  who  committed  the  imprudent  act  of  officially  an- 
nexing the  duchy  of  Brittany  to  France.  This  declara- 
tion   immediately   rallied   all    the   different  factions 


Chap.  XII.]  BOLINGBROKE. 


339 


against  him.  John  de  Montfort  was  recalled ;  the 
States-general  of  Brittany  wrote  to  the  King  of  France, 
asking  him  to  authorize  them  to  retain  their  independ- 
ent ruler.  At  the  same  time  an  English  army,  under 
the  command  of  the  Earl  of  Buckingham,  landed  at 
Calais  and  ravaged  the  provinces  of  Artois,  Picardy, 
and  Champagne  without  ever  encountering  the  neces- 
sity of  a  serious  combat.  The  English  were  arriving  in 
Brittany  when  King  Charles  V.  died  (1378),  and  the 
Bretons,  reassured  by  the  weakness  of  the  young  King 
Charles  VI.,  began  to  look  coldly  upon  their  English 
allies.  De  Montfort  negotiated  with  the  French  coun- 
cil of  regency,  and  Buckingham  was  only  indebted  for 
his  safety  to  the  valor  of  his  troops  and  to  the  pro- 
visions which  he  had  brought.  He  retired  in  the 
spring  of  1379.  Great  events  were  in  preparation  in 
England. 

For  some  years  a  double  movement,  religious  and 
social,  had  begun  secretly  to  agitate  the  English  peo- 
ple. A  priest,  John  Wycliffe,  born  towards  1324,  in 
Yorkshire,  had  attracted  attention  at  the  university  of 
Oxford  by  his  rare  faculties,  and  had  commenced,  in 
the  year  1356,  to  denounce  the  abuses  of  the  papal 
authority;  he  had  then  attacked  the  mendicant  monks, 
accusing  the  Church  in  general  of  greed  and  corruption. 
Summoned  to  appear  before  the  Bishop  of  London,  in 
the  last  year  of  the  reign  of  Edward  III.,  to  answer  for 
his  opinions,  he  had  been  supported  by  the  Duke  of 
Lancaster  and  his  friend  Lord  Percy;  both  had  even 
insulted  the  bishop,  which  had  brought  about  an  insur- 
rection in  the  city.  Wycliffe  had  retracted  some  of  his 
ideas,  he  had  explained  others;  and,  thanks  to  his 
powerful  protectors,  he  had  obtained  the  living  of 
Lutterworth,  in  Leicestershire,  where  he  spent  the  re- 


340  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.   [Chap.  XII. 


mainder  of  his  life,  surrounded  by  priests,  whom  he 
brought  up  in  truly  apostolic  poverty,  and  who  subse- 
quently spread  his  opinions  among  the  people. 
Wycliffe  is  the  first  of  the  Reformers,  or  rather,  their 
precursor.  His  doctrines  acted  more  powerfully  abroad 
than  in  his  own  country ;  it  is  to  his  books  that  were 
due  the  first  germs  of  the  Reformation  in  Bohemia; 
for  England,  his  greatest  work  was  the  translation  of 
the  Bible  into  the  vernacular.  The  most  important  of 
his  ideas  was  the  appeal  to  the  private  judgment  of  the 
faithful  upon  the  very  text  of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 
Wycliffe  had  shaken  the  traditions  of  submission  to  the 
clergy;  he  had  at  the  same  time  preached  a  dangerous 
doctrine.  All  possessions,"  he  said,  ''come  of  grace, 
and  may  be  forfeited  by  sin."  The  poor  serfs,  who 
possessed  nothing,  might  be  anxious  to  profit  in  their 
turn  by  the  grace  which  insured  estates.  Wycliffe  died 
peacefully  at  Lutterworth  in  1384. 

Already,  for  two  years  past,  his  illustrious  friend, 
Geoffrey  Chaucer,  the  first  creator  of  English  poetry, 
had  been  compelled  to  quit  England,  compromised  by 
his  attachment  to  the  new  ideas  ;  he  had  retired  into 
Hainault,  where  he  lived  in  peace,  protected  by  the 
friendship  of  the  Duke  of  Lancaster.  The  first  works 
of  Chaucer,  The  Court  of  Love,  the  poem  of  Troilus  and 
Cresseide,  The  Temple  of  Fame,  had  been  published  sev- 
eral years  before,  and  had  assured  to  him  a  reputation 
which  had  largely  contributed  to  his  fortune.  The 
English  language  at  this  time,  still  largely  intermixed 
with  French,  and  difficult  to  understand  at  the  present 
time,  assumed,  under  the  pen  of  Chaucer,  a  native 
grace  to  which  sometimes  succeeds  an  energy  which  pre- 
pared the  way  for  Spenser  and  Shakespeare.  Chaucer 
again  established  himself  in   England    when  John  of 


Chap.  XII.]  BOLINGBROKE. 


341 


Gaunt  returned  from  his  expedition  to  Castile  ;  he 
lived  to  an  advanced  age,  and  composed  in  his  retreat 
of  Dumington  his  Canterbury  Tales^  written  in  the  style 
of  the  Decmneron  of  Boccaccio,  and  the  only  one  of  his 
books  which  is  still  read  at  the  present  day.  He 
died  in  1400,  the  year  following  the  accession  of  Henry 
Bolingbroke,  the  son  of  his  protector.  Like  Wycliffe, 
he  had  seen  the  commencement  of  the  popular  agita- 
tions. The  poll-tax  voted  by  the  Parliament  in  1379 
was  their  first  opportunity. 

A  general  movement  towards  the  enfranchisement  of 
the  lower  classes  manifested  itself  everywhere  in 
Europe.  The  insurrection  of  the  Jacquerie  in  France  ; 
the  resistance  of  the  Flemish  citizens  and  artisans,  first, 
to  the  conduct  of  Jacques  van  Arteveldt  and  afterwards 
to  that  of  Philip,  his  son,  had  testified  to  the  awakening 
of  the  serfs,  the  peasants,  and  the  artisans,  so  long  re- 
duced to  the  condition  of  beasts  of  burden.  The  kings 
had  been  in  need  of  money,  and  the  taxes  weighing  upon 
all  their  subjects,  it  had  been  necessary  to  conciliate  them. 
The  soldiery  had  acquired  a  new  importance  ;  the  English 
archers,  in  particular,  nearly  all  peasants  by  origin,  had 
played  an  important  part  in  the  wars.  When  the  tax- 
collectors  began  in  1380  to  demand  payment  of  the 
poll-tax,  of  a  people  already  impoverished  by  a  long 
series  of  exactions,  they  met  with  a  resistance  which 
increased  with  the  oppression.  The  tax,  at  first  collected 
with  leniency,  was  let  out  to  some  courtiers ;  they  bor- 
rowed in  advance  of  the  Lombards  and  Flemings;  re- 
payment became  necessary,  and  the  revenue  was  exacted 
with  great  severity.  The  peasants  became  exasperated  ; 
tliey  began  to  assemble  and  confer  together  ;  the  insur- 
rection broke  out  in  Essex.  The  Commons  of  Eng- 
land,*' as  the  insurgents  styled  themselves,  broke  into 


342 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,    [Chap.  XII. 


several  dwelling-houses  in  the  neighborhood  ;  they 
obeyed  a  seditious  priest  who  assumed  the  name  of  Jack 
Straw.  The  contagion  rapidly  spread  into  the  counties 
of  Kent,  Suffolk,  and  Norfolk.  The  tax  was  payable 
only  in  the  case  of  persons  above  fourteen  years  of  age. 
A  Kentish  collector  maintained  that  the  daughter  of  a 
tiler  liad  attained  the  specified  age  ;  her  mother  main- 
tained the  contrary ;  the  collector  insulted  the  young 
girl,  and  was  brained  with  a  hammer  by  the  father.  A 
knight  had  reclaimed  a  serf  who  thought  he  was  entitled 
to  enfranchisement,  and  had  imprisoned  him  in  Roches- 
ter Castle  ;  the  peasants  attacked  the  castle  and  com- 
pelled the  garrison  to  surrender  the  prisoner.  The 
Kentish  insurgents  marched  under  the  command  of  a 
chief  named  Wat  Tyler  (Wat  the  tiler).  On  the  Mon- 
day of  Trinity  week,  in  1381,  they  entered  Canterbury, 
threatening  death  to  the  archbishop,  who  was  absent. 
The  monks  of  the  chapter-house  were  compelled  to 
swear  fidelity  to  King  Richard  and  the  commons  of 
England.  Three  wealthy  burgesses  were  beheaded, 
and  the  crowd  proceeded  towards  London.  It  is  related 
that  one  hundred  thousand  men  followed  close  upon 
the  steps  of  Wat  Tyler,  when  he  arrived  on  the  I  ith  of 
June  at  Blackheath. 

The  Princess  of  Wales,  the  mother  of  the  young  king, 
was  returning  from  a  pilgrimage.  The  crowd  of  insur- 
gents surrounded  her  retinue.  She  was  popular  by  rea- 
son of  her  husband's  memory  and  her  ransom  cost  her 
only  some  kisses  bestowed  on  the  more  audacious  of  the 
leaders,  who  had  not  forgotten  that  she  had  formerly 
been  called  ''the  fair  maid  of  Kent;"  she  passed  by 
without  further  difficulty.  The  malcontents  thronged 
round  an  itinerant  preacher  whom  they  had  brought 


Chap.  XII.] 


BOLINGBROKE. 


with  them,  and  who  displayed  to  them  this  text,  now 
famous  : — 

"  When  Adam  delved  and  Eve  span, 
Where  was  then  the  gentleman  ?  " 

The  doctrine  of  equahty  was  received  with  enthusiasm 
by  these  poor  people,  hitherto  trodden  under  foot. 
The  outskirts  of  London  were  laid  waste  when  the  king 
proceeded  down  the  Thames,  on  the  I2th  of  June,  to 
receive  the  petition  of  the  insurgents.  Ten  thousand 
men  awaited  his  arrival  at  Rotherhithe ;  but  at  the 
sight  of  the  royal  barge  they  uttered  such  cries,"  says 
Froissart,  that  one  would  have  thought  that  all  the 
demons  of  hell  were  in  their  midst."  The  noblemen 
who  accompanied  Richard  became  alarmed,  and 
dragged  him  with  them  as  far  as  the  Tower.  "  The 
Commons  of  England,"  in  a  state  of  fury,  advanced 
along  the  right  bank  of  the  river  as  far  as  Lambeth, 
burnt  down  the  prisons,  and  plundered  the  palace  of  the 
Archbishop.  On  the  other  side  of  the  Thames  the  in- 
surgents marched  along  the  course  of  the  river,  and  at 
length  obtaining  a  passage  over  London  Bridge,  they 
joined  their  brothers  of  Kent.  The  whole  city  was  in 
their  power ;  the  population  of  London  had  joined 
them,  and  the  rich  citizens,  to  please  them,  had  thrown 
open  their  cellars  to  them.  Hitherto,  the  multitude 
had  behaved  with  a  certain  amount  of  order,  but  intox- 
ication being  once  added  to  the  joy  of  triumph,  they 
could  no  longer  be  restrained  ;  the  palace  of  the  Duke 
of  Lancaster  was  invaded  and  burnt  down  ;  plunder 
was  strictly  forbidden  ;  the  gold  w^as  reduced  to  pow- 
der, and  the  precious  stones  were  broken.  A  peasant 
had  taken  a  bowl  of  money;  he  was  thrown  into  the 
river  with  his  booty.  The  prisons  being  opened  and 
destroyed  brought  fresh  reinforcements  to  the  insur- 


344 


HIS  TOR  Y  OF  ENGLAND,    [Chap.  XIL 


gents.  The  Temple  was  burnt,  with  all  the  valuable 
books  which  had  been  ccllected  by  the  knights.  The 
priory  of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem,  recently  constructed 
by  Sir  Thomas  Hales,  a  prior  of  the  order  and  Chan- 
cellor of  the  Kingdom,  was  also  delivered  up  to-  the 
flames.  A  thirst  for  blood  began  to  take  possession  of 
the  populace.  Every  passer-by  was  challenged.  For 
whom  are  you?"  was  asked.    If  the  answer  was  not 

For  King  Richard  and  the  true  commons,''  the  person 
answering  was  immediately  slaughtered.  All  the  Flem- 
ings fell  by  the  knife  or  the  hatchet ;  the  popular 
hatred  sought  them  out  even  in  the  churches.  Wine 
and  blood  flowed  in  the  streets;  the  counsellors  of  the 
king  resolved  to  try  concessions. 

On  the  morning  of  the  14th  of  June  a  proclamation 
was  spread  throughout  London,  recommending  the 
crowd  which  surrounded  th  Tower  and  demanded  the 
heads  of  the  chancellor  and  treasurer,  to  retreat  towards 
Mile  End.  The  king  promised  there  to  come  to  them 
and  to  grant  their  requests.  A  portion  of  the  mob 
obeyed  ;  when  Richard  arrived  with  a  weak  retinue  at 
the  meeting-place  (his  brothers,  the  Earl  of  Kent  and 
Lord  John  Holland,  had  quitted  him  on  the  road),  he 
saw  himself  surrounded  by  sixty  thousand  peasants. 
Their  tone  was  respectful,  and  their  requests,  which  then 
appeared  monstrous,  do  not  create  the  same  impression 
at  the  present  day.  They  demanded  the  definitive  aboli- 
tion of  servitude  ;  the  power  to  sell  and  purchase  in  all 
markets;  and  a  general  amnesty  for  the  past.  To  this 
they  added  a  strange  claim  to  fix  the  amount  of  rental  on 
lands.  The  king  promised  all  that  they  wished,  and 
immediately  caused  to  be  made  a  large  number  of  copies 
of  the  charter  which  he  had  thus  granted.  These  were 
distributed  among  the  insurgents  ;  the  men  of  Essex 


Chap.  XII.]  BOLINGBROKE. 


and  Hertford  retired  in  a  body;  but  the  malcontents  of 
Kent  had  remained  in  the  capital,  and  had  not  appeared 
at  the  meeting-place  in  Mile  End.  Scarcely  had  the 
kinsf  retired  when  these  dansrerous  foes  attacked  the 
Tower,  beheading  the  councillors  v/ho  had  taken  refuge 
therein,  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  the  treasurer, 
Sir  Thomas  Hale,  and  several  others.  The  Princess  of 
Wales,  while  yet  in  bed,  saw  a  furious  mob  spring  into 
her  chamber.  No  injury  was  done  to  her,  and  her 
attendants  were  enabled  to  throw  her,  fainting*  with 
fright,  into  a  little  boat  ;  she  was  conveyed  to  a  house 
in  the  city  belonging  to  the  king,  who  there  came  and 
joined  her  when  he  had  learnt  the  sad  news  of  the 
massacre  at  the  Tower. 

In  the  morning,  Richard  issued  forth  with  a  small 
escort,  and  advanced  fearlessly  towards  Smithfield. 
The  multitude  thronged  the  streets  and  squares.  The 
king  drew  up  at  St.  Bartholomew's  Priory.  I  will  go 
no  further,''  he  said,  without  having  pacified  the  in- 
surgents." Wat  Tyler  had  perceived  him,  and  urging 
his  horse  towards  him,  There  is  the  king :  J  go  to 
speak  to  him,"  he  cried  to  his  supporters  ;  do  not 
move  a  hand  or  foot  unless  I  give  you  the  signal."  The 
horse  of  the  popular  chief  touched  heads  with  that  of 
the  king.  "Sir  king,"  said  Wat  Tyler,  ''do  you  see 
those  men  yonder?"  "  Yes,"  replied  the  young  prince 
without  stirring.  "  They  are  at  my  disposal,  and  ready 
to  do  as  1  bid  them."  And  he  toyed  with  his  dagger, 
holding  the  bridle  of  the  royal  courser  ;  then,  perceiv- 
ing behind  Richard  an  esquire  who  had  displeased  him, 
"  Ah,  you  here  ?"  he  said,  "  give  me  your  sword."  The 
esquire  refused  ;  Wat  Tyler  made  a  motion  to  take  pos- 
session of  it  ;  the  followers  of  the  king  v/ere  roused. 
The  Lord  Mayor  of  London,  William  Walworth,  urged 


346  HISTOR  Y  OF  ENGLAND,    [Chap.  XIL 


forward  his  horse,  and  advancing  towards  the  rebel, 
struck  him  a  blow  with  a  dagger ;  the  horse  reared. 
Tyler  endeavored  to  return  to  his  followers  ;  an  esquire 
of  the  king  thrust  his  sword  through  his  body  ;  he  fell, 
beating  the  air  with  his  hands.  The  mob  became  agi- 
tated. Our  captain  is  slain,"  was  the  cry,  and  the 
bowstrings  began  to  vibrate.  Richard  advanced  alone 
towards  the  crowd.  What  do  you,  my  friends  ?"  he 
exclaimed.  Tyler  was  a  traitor  ;  it  is  I  who  am  your 
captain  and  your  guide."  And  he  drew  after  him  this 
irresolute  mob,  deprived  of  their  chief,  and  who  marched 
without  knowing  whither  they  were  bound.  They  ar- 
rived in  the  fields  near  Islington.  The  friends  of  the 
king  had  rallied  round  him.  One  of  the  chiefs  of  his 
free  bands.  Sir  Robert  Knowles,  brought  a  body  of 
men-at-arms.  The  insurgents  took  alarm,  threw  down 
their  bows,  and  cried Mercy  !"  The  king  would  not 
suffer  them  to  be  slaughtered  in  a  mass,  to  the  great  ex- 
asperation of  Sir  Robert  Knowles.  He  said  that  he 
would  be  even  with  them  on  another  occasion,"  says 
Froissart  ;     in  which  he  did  not  fail." 

The  insurrections  subsided  everywhere.  The  Bishop 
of  Norwich  had  armed  his  household  and  his  friends, 
and  hastening  to  throw  himself  upon  the  peasants,  he 
had  easily  defeated  these  confused  masses,  little  accus- 
tomed to  arms.  He  had  himself  drawn  up  their  indict- 
ment and  pronounced  their  sentence  ;  then  resuming 
his  clerical  costume,  he  had  exhorted  them,  received 
their  confession,  absolved  them,  and  finally  accom- 
panied them  to  the  gallows.  The  king  was  at  the  head 
of  a  small  army,  and  had  marched  against  the  remainder 
of  the  insurgents  of  Essex.  It  was  no  longer  a  ques- 
tion  of  charters;  the  courts  of  commission  were  every- 
where assembling  to  try  the  guilty.    The  two  priests, 


Chap.  XII.]  BOLINGBROKE. 


347 


Jack  Straw  and  John  Ball,  were  hanged.  Lester  and 
Wistbroom,  who  had  assumed  the  title  of  Kings  of  the 
Commons  "  in  the  counties  of  Norfolk  and  Suffolk,  suf- 
fered the  same  fate.  About  fifteen  hundred  rioters 
were  executed.  It  was  found  necessary  to  fix  them  to 
the  gibbet  with  iron  chains;  their  friends  came  by  night 
to  carry  off  their  bodies. 

The  Parliament  had  assembled,  publicly  approving  of 
the  abolition  of  the  concessions  granted  to  the  villeins 
during  the  struggle.  We  would  never  have  consented 
to  them,"  said  the  barons,  even  had  we  all  been  com- 
pelled to  perish  on  the  same  day."  For  the  moment, 
there  was  some  talk  of  abolishing  servitude;  but  the 
opposition  was  so  strenuous,  the  proprietors  of  fiefs  de- 
clared so  loudly  that  their  serfs  belonged  to  them  by 
right,  and  that  they  could  not  be  deprived  of  them 
without  their  consent,  that  the  idea  was  immediately 
abandoned,  and  the  high  treason  law  was  voted,  con- 
demning riots,  disturbances,  and  other  analogous 
things,"  in  terms  as  dangerous  as  they  were  vague. 
The  king  demanded  money,  the  commons  claimed  a 
complete  amnesty ;  neither  would  begin  to  make  con- 
cessions. The  Parliament  at  length  yielded  ;  the  tax 
upon  wool  and  leathernvas  prolonged  for  five  years,  and 
the  king  proclaimed  the  amnesty  ;  he  was  about  to  wed 
Anne  of  Bohemia,  soon  known  throughout  the  whole 
of  her  kingdom  as  the  good  queen."  The  Bishop  of 
Norwich  was  fighting  in  Flanders,  in  support  of  the 
citizens  of  Ghent  hard  pressed  by  their  count,  recently  ' 
a  victor  at  the  battle  of  Rosebecque,  where  Philip  van 
Arteveldt  had  been  killed  ;  and  the  uncles  of  the  king 
contended  with  each  other  for  the  authority  in  Eng- 
land. The  Earl  of  Cambridge  had  been  made  Duke  of 
York,  and  the  Earl  of  Buckingham  Duke  of  Gloucester. 


348 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.   [Chap.  XII. 


Henry  Bolingbroke,  son  of  the  Duke  of  Lancaster, 
had  become  Earl  of  Derby;  at  the  same  time,  the 
king  had  made  Earl  of  Suffolk  and  Duke,  of  Ireland, 
his  favorites  Michael  de  la  Pole  and  Robert  de  Vere, 
obscure  persons,  whom  the  Princess  of  Wales  had  placed 
beside  her  soii,  by  reason  of  her  jealousy  towards  his 
uncles  ;  and  who  contributed,  by  their  influence,  to  the 
struggles  and  disputes  of  the  government.  The  prin- 
cess had  recently  died,  having  succumbed  beneath  the 
weight  of  the  anxieties  caused  by  one  of  her  sons. 
Lord  John  Holland  ;  he  had  recently  assassinated  one 
of  the  servants  of  the  king,  and  was  unable  to  quit  the 
church  in  which  he  had  taken  refuge.  Plot  succeeded 
plot — denunciation  to  denunciation.  At  length,  the 
Duke  of  Lancaster  started  out  for  Spain,  in  order  to 
sustain  the  pretensions  of  his  wife  to  the  throne  of  Cas- 
tile ;  and  he  contrived,  after  two  campaigns,  to  marry 
his  eldest  daughter  to  the  heir  of  Henry  of  Transtamare, 
thus  assuring  the  crown  to  her  children.  The  Scots 
had  crossed  the  frontier,  and  King  Richard  entered 
Scotland.    France  was  preparing  a  great  armam.ent. 

Amidst  these  external  preoccupations,  the  Duke  of 
Gloucester  had  seized  the  reins  of  government;  and, 
when  the  young  king  threatened  to  dissolve  a  Parlia- 
ment devoted  to  his  uncle,  the  Commons  brought  for- 
ward the  Act  which  had  deposed  Edward  II.  A  coun- 
cil of  barons  for  a  while  governed  the  kingdom,  under 
the  presidency  of  Gloucester.  Blood  flowed  every- 
where ;  the  duke  avenged  himself  upon  the  favorites  of 
the  king,  who  were  as  odious  to  him  as  to  the  English 
people.  He  had  impeached  them  before  the  Parlia- 
ment: the  innocent  were  involved  in  the  ruin  of  the 
guilty.  Gloucester  did  not  even  spare  Sir  Simon  Bur- 
ley,  formerly  the  tutor  of  the  king,  the  friend  of  Edward 


Chap.  XII.]  BOLINGBROKE, 


349 


III.  and  the  Black  Prince,  and  who  had  conducted  the 
negotiations  for  the  marriage  of  Richard.  The  queen 
in  vain  threw  herself  at  his  feet  asking  for  mercy  ;  in 
vain  did  Henry  Bolingbroke,  who  had  seconded  his 
uncle  in  all  his  undertakings,  claim  as  a  right  the  par- 
don of  the  condemned  man  :  Burley  was  executed, 
and  Bolingbroke  became  definitively  at  variance  with 
Gloucester. 

The  disorder  which  prevailed  in  England  did  not  pre- 
vent constant  hostilities  upon  the  frontiers  of  Scotland  ; 
it  was  on  August  15th,  1388,  that  there  took  place 
at  Otterboufn,  the  famous  battle  celebrated  in  the  bal- 
lads under  the  name  of  Chevy  Chase,  between  the  Earl 
of  Douglas  and  Lord  Henry  Percy,  the  Hotspur  of 
Shakespeare.  Douglas  was  slain,  but  the  English  ended 
by  being  repulsed  from  the  battle-field.  Hotspur  and  his 
brother  were  prisoners.  The  king  was  beginning  to 
weary  of  the  yoke  which  he  had  so  long  borne.  He  was 
subject  to  gleams  of  resolution  and  courage,  which  soon 
disappeared  in  a  long  spell  of  indolence,  and  which  took 
by  surprise  those  who  calculated  upon  his  habitual 
apathy.  Acoiincilwas  being  held  in  the  month  of  May, 
1389  ;  the  king  suddenly  addressed  the  Duke  of  Glouces- 
ter. "How  old  do  you  suppose  I  am,  uncle?"  he 
asked.  "  Your  highness  is  in  your  twenty-second  year,'* 
replied  the  duke,  much  surprised.  "  Then,"  replied  the 
king,  I  am  at  an  age  when  I  should  govern  my  own 
affairs.  Nobody  in  my  kingdom  has  been  so  long  held 
under  tutelage.  I  thank  you  for  your  services,  my  lord, 
but  I  no  longer  require  them."  And  he  immediately 
caused  the  great  seal  and  the  keys  of  the  treasury  to  be 
given  up  to  himself,  compelling  the  Duke  of  Gloucester 
to  leave  the  council,  and  announcing  publicly  to  the 
nation  that  he  had  henceforth  assumed  the  direction  of 


HISTOR  V  OF  ENGLAND.    [Chap.  XTI. 


the  government.  But  his  fleeting  energy  had  ah'eady 
abandoned  him.  The  Duke  of  York  and  Henry 
Bolingbroke  were  his  masters,  instead  of  the  Duke  of 
Gloucester. 

John  of  Gaunt  had  returned  from  Castile  ;  he  had  be- 
come reconciled  with  his  brothers.  Concord  appeared 
re-established  in  the  royal  family ;  a  truce  had  been  con- 
cluded with  France  and  Scotland.  The  King  of  Scot- 
land, Robert  II.,  had  died  on  the  19th  of  April,  1390, 
and  his  eldest  son  had  assumed  the  title  of  Robert  III. 
Queen  Anne  had  also  died,  in  1394,  and  King  Richard, 
who  had  no  children,  married  two  years  later,  much 
against  the  wishes  of  his  subjects,  the  Princess  Isabel, 
daughter  of  Charles  VI.,  king  of  France.  She  was  but 
seven  years  old  ;  but  the  king  conceived  the  liveliest 
affection  for  her,  and  conducted  her  everywhere  with 
him  upon  his  travels.  An  expedition  in  Ireland  against 
the  insurgent  chiefs  had  been  very  successful ;  but  the 
Duke  of  Gloucester  protested  with  all  his  might  against 
the  alliance  with  France.  Our  Edwards,"  he  said, 
caused  Paris  to  tremble  even  in  its  entrails;  but,  under 
Richard,  we  court  the  French,  who  make  us  tremble 
within  London."  The  duke  had  his  reasons  for  tremb- 
ling :  the  king  had  not  forgotten  the  execution  of  his 
favorites,  nor  the  men  who  had  signed  their  indictment. 
The  Earl  of  Warwick,  one  of  the  accomplices  of  Glouces- 
ter, was  already  arrested ;  the  Earl  of  Arundel  soon 
followed.  The  Duke  of  Gloucester  had  retired  to  Pleshy 
Castle,  in  Essex;  his  nephew  repaired  there  in  gay  com- 
pany:  all  the  family  came  forward  to  meet  the  king  ; 
but,  while  the  duchess  was  conversing  with  him,  Glouces- 
ter was  arrested  by  the  marshal  of  England,  dragged  as 
far  as  the  river,  thrown  into  a  boat,  and  from  thence  a 
vessel  bore  him  towards  Calais.    A  rumor  was  there- 


Chap.  XII.]  BOLINGBROKE, 


351 


upon  spread  that  he  had  been  assassinated  ;  the  king 
published  a  proclamation  declaring  that  the  arrests  had 
been  made  with  the  approval  of  his  uncles  of  Lancas- 
ter and  York,  as  well  as  of  his  cousin,  the  Earl  of 
Derby.  He  had  even  obtained,  by  a  ruse,  their  signa- 
tures to  the  impeachment.  Lord  Arundel  was  con- 
demned by  the  Parliament,  and  immediately  executed  ; 
his  brother,  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  was  not  even 
admitted  to  plead  his  cause,  for  the  king  dreaded  his 
eloquence  ;  he  was  banished  for  life,  and  the  Earl  of 
Warwick,  at  first  condemned  to  death,  was  imprisoned 
in  the  Isle  of  Man.  The  House  of  Lords  then  called 
the  Duke  of  Gloucester  for  judgment ;  but  the  marshal 
replied  that  he  could  not  bring  the  Lord  Duke,  who  had 
for  several  days  been  dead  at  Calais.  He  was  con- 
demned, however,  and  all  his  goods  were  confiscated; 
it  was  said  that  he  had  been  suffocated  between  two 
mattresses.  The  judges  were  not  without  uneasiness 
concerning  the  application  which  they  had  just  made 
of  the  high  treason  law:  nearly  all  had  been,  at  differ- 
ent periods,  compromised  in  plots  or  insurrections. 
They  obtained  of  the  king  an  amnesty  for  the  past; 
and,  as  a  reward  for  present  services,  Richard  made  his 
cousin  the  Earl  of  Derby,  Duke  of  Hereford  ;  the  Earl 
of  Nottingham  became  Duke  of  Norfolk,  and  John 
Holland,  the  murderer,  was  made  Duke  of  Exeter.  The 
Parliament  completed  its  work  of  complaisance  by 
granting  to  the  king,  for  life,  a  subsidy  upon  woollens, 
and  by  forming  a  commission,  entrusted  to  watch  affairs. 
King  Richard  was  no  longer  in  a  hurry  to  appeal  to  his 
people,  or  to  convoke  the  Parliament. 

The  conduct  of  the  king  towards  his  uncle  the  Duke 
of  Gloucester  and  his  friends,  the  vengeance  which  had 
overtaken,  after  so  many  years,  the  enemies  of  the 


352 


HISTORY  GF  ENGLAND.   [Chap.  XII. 


favorites,  revealed  the  character  of  the  sovereign  in  a 
light  which  caused  uneasiness  in  the  country.  Indolent 
and  prodigal,  habitually  engrossed  in  the  pleasures  of 
luxury  and  magnificence,  Richard  was  not  only  capa- 
ble of  momentary  energy,  but  he  maintained  in  the 
bottom  of  his  heart  projects  which  he  shaped  to  his  pur- 
poses with  patient  perseverance.  Once  delivered  of  the 
Parliament  and  of  the  Duke  of  Gloucester,  the  Duke  of 
Lancaster  aged  and  in  retirement  in  his  castle,  Richard 
gave  himself  up  to  all  his  whims,  certain,  as  he  thought, 
of  encountering  no  serious  opposition.  "  At  that  time,** 
says  Froissart,  "no  one  was  great  enough  in  England 
to  dare  to  speak  against  the  will  of  the  king.  He  had 
a  council  obedient  to  his  wishes,  who  begged  him  to  do 
as  he  pleased  ;  and  he  had  in  his  pay  ten  thousand 
archers,  who  guarded  him  day  and  night.*'  The  extrav- 
agances of  the  court  w^ere  insensate,  and  the  people  be- 
gan to  complain,  looking  back  regretfully  upon  the 
government  of  the  king's  uncles,  who  had  shown  some 
consideration,  they  said,  for  the  nation,  and  consulted 
it  in  its  own  affairs. 

Two  great  noblemen  alone  remained  of  those  who 
had,  in  1386,  seconded  the  efforts  of  the  Duke  of  Glou- 
cester against  the  favorites  of  the  king;  and,  notwith- 
standing the  favor  shown  to  them  by  Richard,  they  did 
not  feel  secure  in  their  positions.  The  Duke  of  Nor- 
folk, galloping  upon  the  road  to  Windsor,  in  the  month 
of  December,  1397,  encountered  the  Duke  of  Hereford. 
"  We  are  ruined,"  said  he  to  his  friend.  "  Wherefore?*' 
asked  Bolingbroke.  "  For  that  affair  at  Radcot 
Bridge."^  "What!  after  so  many  pardons  and  dec- 
larations by  the  Parliament  ?**    rejoined  Bolingbroke. 

*  The  Duke  of  Ireland  (Robert  de  Vere)  had  been  defeated  by  Glouces- 
ter and  his  companions,  at  Radcot  Bridge. 


Chap.  XII.]  BOLINGBROKE. 


J53 


He  will  annul  all  that,  and  we  shall  pass  through  the 
ordeal  like  the  others  ;  the  world  in  which  we  live  is 
strangely  perfidious."  The  Duke  of  Norfolk  soon  had 
reason  to  be  convinced  of  this.  Either  through  thought- 
lessness or  through  treachery,  the  conversation  was  re- 
ported to  the  king;  he  convoked  the  Pariiament,  and 
his  first  care  in  the  month  of  January,  1398,  was  to 
summon  Henry  Bolingbroke  to  render  an  account  of  the 
words  of  the  Duke  of  Norfolk.  The  latter  was  not 
present,  but  upon  the  summons  of  the  Parliament,  he 
came  to  throw  down  his  glove  at  the  feet  of  the  Duke 
of  Hereford,  declaring  him  a  traitor  and  a  perjurer: 
the  combat  was  authorized  between  the  two  noblemen. 

I  shall  then  at  length  have  peace,"  muttered  the  king, 
while  proceeding  to  Coventry,  on  the  i6th  of  Septem- 
ber, to  be  present  at  the  tournament.  But  having  once 
confronted  the  two  antagonists,  he  became  fearful  of  a 
victory  for  one  of  them,  and,  forbidding  the  ordeal,  he 
submitted  the  question  to  a  Parliamentary  commission 
chosen  by  himself.  The  Duke  of  Hereford  was  con- 
demned to  an  exile  of  ten  years.  The  Duke  of  Nor- 
folk was  banished  forever.  He  thereupon  started  for 
the  Holy  Land,  and  died  of  grief  at  Venice.  But  Henry 
Bolingbroke  did  not  go  far  away ;  he  remained  in 
France,  watching  the  move*nents  of  his  cousin  Richard, 
who  lavished  the  riches  of  England  with  so  thoughtless 
a  hand,  that  his  treasury  was  constantly  empty.  His 
favorites  would  then  help  him  to  replenish  it  by  exac- 
tions of  every  kind.  The  Duke  of  Lancaster  had  died 
three  months  after  the  departure  of  his  son  ;  his  im- 
mense property  was  confiscated,  notwithstanding  the 
protests  of  Bolingbroke.  A  decree  outlawed  seventeen 
counties  of  England,  as  having  been  favorable  to  the 
enemies  of  the  king;  they  were  compelled  to  buy  back 


354  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.    [Chap.  XIL 


their  rights  with  enormous  fines.  The  disaffection  in- 
creased,  but  the  king  took  no  heed  whatever  of  it.  He 
embarked  towards  the  end  of  May,  1390,  for  Ireland, 
where  his  cousin  and  heir-apparent,  the  Earl  of  March, 
had  recently  been  assassinated.  He  had  just  taken  the 
field  against  the  rebels,  when  Henry  Bolingbroke  landed, 
on  the  4th  of  July,  at  Ravenspur,  in  Yorkshire,  having 
escaped  from  France  under  the  pretext  of  paying  a  visit 
to  the  Duke  of  Brittany. 

Bolingbroke  had  brought  with  him  a  feeble  following, 
the  exiled  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and  his  nephew, 
the  Earl  of  Arundel,  fifteen  knights  and  men-at-arms, 
and  a  few  servants  ;  but  scarcely  had  he  touched  the 
English  soil,  when  the  Earls  of  Northumberland  and 
Westmoreland  joined  him,  bringing  with  them  consid- 
erable forces.  Henry  did  not  disclose  his  ulterior  pro- 
jects to  anybody;  he  came,  he  said,  to  claim  his  right, 
the  inheritance  of  his  father,  which  the  king  had  wrongly 
confiscated,  and  moreover  the  public  feeling  was  so 
favorable  to  him,  the  nation  was  so  weary  of  seeing  itself 
ill-governed,  that  the  malcontents  rose  in  all  parts  to 
place  themselves  under  his  standard.  He  was,  it  is  said, 
at  the  head  of  an  army  of  sixty  thousand  men  when  he 
advanced  towards  London.  The  Duke  of  York,  regent 
of  the  kingdom  in  the  absence  of  Richard,  did  not  rely 
upon  the  burgesses  of  the  City;  he  had  quitted  the  cap- 
ital, and  displayed  the  royal  standard  at  St.  Alban's. 
Terror  began  to  seize  the  creatures  of  the  king:  instead 
of  marching  against  the  rebels,  they  cowardly  shut 
themselves  up  in  fortified  castles.  The  Duke  of  York 
had  taken  the  western  road,  pending  the  return  of  King 
Richard  ;  but  Bolingbroke  had  used  diligence,  and  he 
arrived  at  the  Severn  on  the  same  day  as  the  regent. 
The  latter  placed  little  confidence  in  his  troops  ;  he  was 


Chap.  XII.]  BOLINGBROKE, 


355 


aware  of  the  general  discontent,  and  he  retained  in  the 
bottom  of  his  heart  a  bitter  resentment  for  the  murder 
of  his  brother  Gloucester.  He  granted  an  interview  to 
his  nephew  Bolingbroke  :  the  firm,  bold  and  cunning 
mind  of  Henry  triumphed  easily  over  the  feeble  will  of 
the  Duke  of  York;  the  two  armies  were  amalgamated, 
and  the  regent  helped  the  usurper  to  take  Bristol  Cas- 
tle. There  the  members  of  the  commission  which 
had  formerly  condemned  Bolingbroke  had  taken  ref- 
uge ;  they  were  executed  without  any  form  of  trial, 
and  the  Duke  of  Lancaster  marched  upon  Chester, 
leaving  his  uncle  at  Bristol. 

For  three  weeks  Richard  had  remained  in  ignorance 
of  what  was  taking  place  in  his  kingdom.  When  he  at 
length  learnt  the  news  of  the  landing  of  Henry  and  his 
formidable  progresses,  he  exclaimed  bitterly,  Ah  !  my 
good  uncle  of  Lancaster,  the  Lord  have  mercy  on  your 
soul!  If  I  had  believed  you,  although  this  man  might 
be  your  son,  he  would  never  have  harmed  me.  Three 
times  I  have  forgiven  him  ;  this  is  his  fourth  offence.'* 
The  Earl  of  Salisbury  immediately  set  sail  to  assemble 
together  some  troops  in  England  ;  he  had  raised  pretty 
considerable  forces  in  Wales  ;  but  the  king  delayed,  the 
soldiers  murmured  and  dispersed  by  degrees;  a  large 
number  went  and  joined  the  rebels.  The  king  at  length 
disembarked  with  his  cousin,  the  Duke  of  Albemarle, 
and  his  two  brothers,  the  Dukes  of  Exeter  and  Surrey. 
The  little  army  which  he  had  taken  to  Ireland  followed 
him  ;  but  at  the  second  halting-place,  when  the  king, 
having  risen  very  early,  looked  through  the  window  to- 
wards the  camp,  where  on  the  previous  evening,  six 
thousand  soldiers  had  slept,  he  no  longer  saw  but  a 
handful  of  archers  and  men-at-arms  :  all  had  deserted 
during  the  night.    The  king  was  advised  to  take  refuge 


3S6 


HISTOR  V  OF  ENGLAND.    [Chap.  XII. 


at  Bordeaux.  That  would  be  to  abdicate,"  said  his 
brother,  the  Duke  of  Exeter.  It  was  resolved  that 
they  should  join  the  Earl  of  Salisbury,  and  the  king, 
disguised  as  a  priest,  took  the  road  to  Conway,  with  his 
brothers  and  a  few  servants,  while  the  Duke  of  Albe- 
marle, following  the  example  of  his  father,  the  Duke  of 
York,  fled  by  night  to  join  the  army  of  ihe  usurper. 

The  Earl  of  Salisbury  had  not  a  hundred  men  with 
him  when  the  king  arrived  at  Conway.  In  this  deplor- 
able situation,  the  brothers  of  King  Richard  proposed 
to  go  to  Henry  at  Chester,  in  order  to  ascertain  his  pre- 
tensions. The  two  dukes  did  not  return  ;  their  cousin 
Boh'ngbroke  received  them  kindly,  but  he  positively 
refused  to  release  them  :  all  his  efforts  were  directed 
towards  seizing  the  king  in  person.  The  Earl  of 
Northumberland  was  entrusted  with  this  mission.  By 
false  promises  he  enticed  the  king  out  of  Conway,  pro- 
posing an  interview  with  Bolingbroke  at  Flint.  Richard 
was  almost  alone,  abandoned  ;  he  followed  the  earl  with 
the  friends  who  remained  to  him.  They  galloped  along 
slowly,  when  suddenly  the  king  cried,  "  I  am  betrayed  ! 
Lord  in  Heaven,  help  me  !  Do  you  not  see  banners 
and  pennants  flying  in  the  valley?"  Northumberland 
advanced  at  the  same  time.  My  lord,"  the  unhappy 
monarch  said  to  him  abruptly,  if  I  thought  you  capa- 
ble of  betraying  me,  I  could  yet  retreat."  "  No,"  re- 
plied the  Earl,  who  had  laid  hold  of  his  bridle  ;  I 
have  promised  to  conduct  you  to  the  Duke  of  Lancas- 
ter." The  soldiers  of  Northumberland  began  to  appear; 
the  king  yielded  to  necessity.  Our  Saviour  was  sold 
and  delivered  into  the  hands  of  His  enemies,"  he  mur- 
mured. 

They  arrived  at  Flint.  Henry  Bolingbroke,  in  all  his 
armor,  came  forward  to  meet  his  royal  cousin,  and  bent 


Chap.  XII.]  BOLINGBROKE. 


357. 


his  knee  on  approaching.  Good  cousin  of  Lancaster/' 
said  Richard  courteously,  you  are  welcome/*  My 
lord,"  replied  Henr}^  I  have  come  before  my  time, 
but  I  will  tell  you  the  reason :  your  people  complain 
that  you  have  governed  them  harshly  for  twenty-two 
years  ;  if  it  please  God,  I  will  help  you  rule  them  bet- 
ter." Since  it  pleases  you,  it  pleases  me  also,"  meekty 
replied  the  fallen  monarch  ;  and,  seated  upon  a  wretched 
courser,  like  a  prisoner,  King  Richard  took  the  road  to 
Chester,  side  by  side  with  Henry  Bolingbroke.  Frois- 
sart  relates  that  his  very  dog  abandoned  him  to  lick  the 
hand  of  the  usurper. 

At  Lichfield  Richard  attempted  to  escape  ;  but  he 
was  seized  as  he  had  just  issued  forth  through  a  window, 
and  thereafter  was  narrowly  guarded.  The  people 
of  London  received  him  with  yells  and  insults.  The 
usurper  repaired  to  St.  Paul's,  prayed  upon  the  tomb  of 
his  father,  and  then  took  possession  of  the  palace.  The 
king  had  been  led  to  the  Tower. 

The  Parliament  was  convoked,  and  ready  to  depose 
Richard  II.,  as  it  had  formerly  deposed  his  great-grand- 
father ;  but  Henry  Bolingbroke,  with  a  bitter  foresight 
of  the  mutability  of  human  things,  wished  to  secure  the 
personal  consent  and  the  voluntary  abdication  of  the 
king.  He  held  him  narrowly  confined  within  the 
Tower.  *^Why  do  you  cause  me  to  be  thus  guarded  ?" 
Richard  angrily  exclaimed  one  day;  Am  I  your  king 
or  your  prisoner?"  You  are  my  king,"  replied  the 
duke  ;  but  the  council  of  your  kingdom  have  seen  fit 
to  place  a  guard  beside  your  person."  On  the  eve  of 
the  opening  of  Parliament,  a  deputation  of  prelates  and 
barons  paid  a  visit  to  the  unhappy  king  in  the  Tower, 
and  asked  him  to  abdicate.  Richard  felt  himself  pow- 
erless in  the  hands  of  his  enemies  ;  he  yielded, willingly 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,    [Chap.  XII. 


and  joyfully,"  say  the  acts  of  Parliament ;  and,  releas- 
ing his  subjects  from  their  oath,  he  consigned  his  royal 
ring  to  his  cousin  of  Lancaster,  saying  that  he  would 
choose  him  for  his  successor,  if  he  had  the  right  to  des- 
ignate him.  These  details  are  open  to  doubt,  but  the 
Parl'ament  held  them  good,  and  on  the  30th  of  Sep- 
tember, before  the  empty  throne,  in  Westminster  Hall, 
the  abdication  of  Richard  was  read  aloud,  all  the  mem- 
bers giving  their  consent  to  it.  The  people  uttered  cries 
of  joy.  The  coronation  oath  was  then  brought,  and,  at 
each  article,  proclaimed  aloud,  the  impeachment  of 
King  Richard  was  drawn  up.  He  was  accused  of  the 
murder  of  his  uncle  Gloucester  ;  of  having  revoked  the 
amnesties,  and  of  having  squandered  the  public  money. 
Nobody  raised  his  voice  for  the  dethroned  monarch 
until  the  Bishop  of  Carlisle,  Thomas  Merks,  rose  and 
publicly  denied  the  right  of  the  Parliament  to  depose 
the  king  and  to  change  the  order  of  succession,  at  the 
same  time  defending  Richard  against  his  accusers. 
Scarcely  had  he  finished  his  discourse,  when  he  was 
arrested.  While  he  was  being  conducted  to  St.  Alban's, 
the  Parliament  pronounced  the  deposition  of  Richard, 
and  the  Lord  Chief  Justice  was  instructed  to  announce 
his  fall  to  him.  I  care  not  to  court  the  regal  author- 
ity," said  the  deposed  king  ;  I  only  hope  that  my  good 
cousin  will  be  a  good  master  to  me." 

His  good  cousin  was  not  yet  legally  king;  the  de- 
scendants of  Lionel,  the  third  son  of  Edward  III.,  were 
the  legitimate  heirs  to  the  throne  ;  no  one,  however, 
thought  of  them.  The  Duke  of  Lancaster  had  remained 
in  his  scat  :  his  surrounders  waited  in  profound  silence. 
He  rose,  and,  solemnly  making  the  sign  of  the  cross, 
said  in  a  very  loud  voice,  "  In  the  name  of  the  Father, 
of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  I,  Henry  of  Lan- 


Chap.  XII.]  BOLINGBROKE, 


359 


caster,  lay  claim  to  this  kingdom  of  England  and  to  the 
crown,  as  a  descendant  of  the  good  King  Henry  III., 
and  by  the  right  which  God  has  given  me,  by  granting 
to  me  the  favor,  through  the  support  of  my  friends,  to 
come  to  the  assistance  of  this  country,  which  was  about 
to  perish  under  bad  laws  and  for  want  of  government." 

This  mixture  of  hereditary  pretensions  with  popular 
rights  was  skilful.  The  Parliament  responded  to  the 
appeal  of  Henry  Bolingbroke ;  acclamations  broke  out 
in  all  parts  ;  the  duke  showed  the  ring  which  Richard 
had  consigned  to  him  ;  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury 
took  him  by  the  hand  and  led  him  to  the  foot  of  the 
throne.  Henry  knelt  there  for  a  moment  ;  he  then  as- 
cended the  steps  and  seated  himself  resolutely.  The 
plaudits  recommenced  during  the  discourse  of  the  arch- 
bishop. I  thank  you,  my  lord,"  said  the  new  mon- 
arch ;  and  I  wish  everybody  to  know  that,  by  right  of 
conquest,  I  will  disinherit  nobody  of  his  rights,  but  wish 
that  all  may  be  governed  by  the  good  laws  of  the  king- 
dom, and  may  hold  what  he  has  by  right."  The  officers 
of  the  crown  and  the  great  noblemen  also  vowed  fealty 
and  homage:  Henry  IV.  was  king  of  England. 

In  the  first  days  of  his  reign,  the  new  sovereign  was 
enabled  to  believe  that  public  opinion  fully  confirmed 
his  usurpation.  All  the  great  noblemen  were  eager  to 
fulfil  at  his  coronation  their  hereditary  offices ;  the  Earl 
of  Northumberland  alone,  who  had  rendered  eminent 
services  to  him,  marched  beside  him  in  the  procession, 
holding  aloft  in  sight  of  all  the  sword  worn  by  Boling- 
broke on  landing  at  Ravenspur.  The  House  of  Com- 
mons responded  to  the  slightest  wishes  of  the  king,  and 
the  greater  number  of  the  unpopular  measures  of  the 
last  reign  were  withdrawn  by  common  consent.  A  great 
uproar  arose  in  the  House  of  Lords :  the  peers  who  had 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,   [Chaf.  XII. 


appealed  against  the  Duke  of  Gloucester  were  sum- 
moned to  exculpate  themselves  ;  all  took  their  stand 
upon  the  wish  of  King  Richard,  upon  the  fear  which  he 
inspired,  and  upon  the  unanimous  vote  of  the  House. 
Recriminations  poured  down  in  every  part  ;  forty 
gauntlets  were  thrown  upon  the  ground  as  challenges  to 
combat.  A  weak  and  timid  monarch  would  have  taken 
alarm  in  the  midst  of  this  violent  confusion  :  Henry 
IV.  was  enabled  to  calm  the  agitation.  He  divested 
the  ''lords  appellant,"  as  they  were  styled,  of  the  titles 
which  Richard  had  given  to  them  as  rewards;  the 
Dukes  of  Albemarle,  Surrey  and  Exeter,  the  Marquis 
of  Dorset  and  the  Earl  of  Gloucester,  became  once  more 
the  Earls  of  Rutland,  Kent,  Huntingdon,  and  Somer- 
set, and  Lord  Le  Despencer;  but  the  new  king  wreaked 
no  other  vengeance  upon  them.  The  high  treason  law 
w^as  restored  to  more  limited  and  less  vague  formulae; 
appeals  to  the  Houses  in  cases  of  treason  were  abol- 
ished, and  the  Parliament  was  forbidden  to  delegate  its 
authority  to  a  commission.  The  eldest  son  of  the  king 
was  declared  Prince  of  Wales,  Duke  of  Guienne,  Lan- 
caster, and  Cornwall,  as  well  as  heir  presumptive  to  the 
throne,  Henry  was  too  prudent  to  again  raise  the 
question  of  the  law  of  succession  which  he  had  so 
boldly  disregarded  :  he  did  not  wish  his  hereditary  right 
to  the  throne  to  be  discussed  ;  he  well  knew  that  the 
little  Earl  of  March,  so  carefully  installed  in  Windsor 
Castle,  was  the  real  heir  to  the  throne,  as  great-grand- 
son of  Lionel,  Duke  of  Clarence,  the  elder  brother  of 
John  of  Gaunt.  The  child  was  not  nine  years  of  age  ; 
the  king  caused  him  to  be  well  brought  up,  as  well  as 
his  brother,  and  neither  was  destined  to  recover  his 
liberty  during  his  lifetime ;  but  their  sister,  soon  after- 
wards married  to  the  Earl  of  Cambridge,  had  trans- 


CiiAP.  XIL] 


BOJJNGBROKE. 


36r 


mitted  to  the  House  of  York  those  rights  or  those  pre- 
tensions which  condemned  England  to  half  a  century 
of  civil  war. 

Difficulties  abound  in  the  path  of  usurpers.  King 
Richard  had  not  protested,  he  had  asked  for  nothing,  but 
he  still  lived  in  the  Towner.  Before  dissolving  the  Par- 
liament, King  Henry  IV.  despatched  the  Earl  of  North- 
umberland to  the  House  of  Lords.  The  latter  asked 
that  the  message  with  which  he  was  entrusted  should  be 
kept  secret;  he  then  consulted  the  House  upon  the 
manner  in  which  the  dispossessed  king  was  to  be  treated  ; 
^^for  my  master  Henry/*  he  added,  ''has  resolved, 
at  any  cost,  to  preserve  the  life  of  Richard."  The 
Lords  all  replied  that  King  Richard  should  be 
secretly  led  away  to  some  castle,  and  placed  in  the 
hands  of  faithful  custodians,  who  should  prevent  all 
communication  with  his  friends.  This  was  the  sanction 
which  Henry  IV.  wished  for;  the  dispossessed  monarch 
was  conducted  to  Leeds  Castle,  in  Kent,  and  then 
transferred  by  p.ight  from  castle  to  castle,  as  had  been 
his  great-grandfather,  Edward  II.  In  the  month  of 
January,  Richard  had  arriv,d  in  Pontefract  Castle,  in 
Yorkshire. 

The  removal  of  the  dethroned  king  could  not  suffice 
to  strengthen  the  power;  conspiracies  were  already  be- 
ginning. The  lords  appellant  had  scarcely  been  pun- 
ished, but  their  fears  as  v/ell  as  their  resentment  urged 
them  to  revenge.  They  had  formed  the  project  of  as- 
sassinating Henry  and  of  replacing  Richard  upon  the 
throne.  A  tournament  was  announced  at  Oxford  for 
the  3rd  of  January,  and  the  Earl  of  Huntingdon,  the 
brother-in-law^  of  the  king,  invited  the  latter  to  be 
present  thereat.  The  invitation  was  accepted.  The 
murder  was  to  be  accomplished  during  the  jousts;  the 


362 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,     [Chap.  XII. 


king  and  his  son  were  to  succumb  beneath  numbers. 
The- day  came;  the  king  had  not  arrived,  and  the  Earl 
of  Rutland  was  absent  from  the  place  of  meeting.  The 
conspirators  saw  themselves  betrayed ;  but  a  bold 
stroke  might  yet  save  them  ;  they  galloped  to  Windsor, 
and  took  possession  of  the  castle.  The  king  was  no 
longer  there  :  warned  in  time,  he  had  taken  refuge  in 
London.  The  arrest  warrants  were  already  issued 
against  the  traitors,  and,  on  the  morrow,  Henry  marched 
against  them,  at  the  head  of  a  considerable  force. 
They  did  not  await  him,  and  fled  to  arm  their  vassals. 
Civil  war  appeared  imminent;  but  public  opinion  was 
with  King  Henry:  it  administered  justice  to  the  coPi- 
spirators,  without  the  king  being  obliged  to  interfere. 
The  citizens  of  the  Cirencester  seized  the  Earls  of  Kent 
and  Salisbury,  and  struck  off  their  heads;  Lord  Le 
Despencer  was  beheaded  by  the  citizens  of  Bristol;  the 
Earl  of  Huntingdon  was  dismembered  at  Fleshy  by  the 
servants  of  the  late  Duke  of  Gloucester.  The  King 
had  only  to  cause  the  trial  of  a  few  accomplices  of  low 
degree,  but  the  attempt  of  the  lords  appellant  probably 
cost  the  life  of  King  Richard  ;  it  was  learnt,  towards 
the  end  of  January,  that  he  had  died  at  Pontefract.  It 
was  related  that  he  had  refused  to  take  any  food  since 
the  death  of  his  brothers,  the  Earls  of  Kent  and  Hunt- 
ingdon; distrustful  people  asserted  that  he  had  been 
starved  to  death.  Others  maintained  that  he  had  been 
attacked  in  his  prison  by  some  assassins,  and  that,  after 
having  valiantly  defended  himself,  he  had  been  killed 
by  a  blow  behind  the  head.  When  the  body  of  the 
unhappy  monarch  was  brought  to  London,  before  being 
interred  ^at  Langley,  a  portion  only,  of  ti:e  face  was 
uncovered.  The  details  of  his  death  were  forever 
unknown,  and  many  people  were  resolute  in  denying  it. 


Chap.  XII.]  BOLINGBROKE. 


363 


The  little  Queen  Isabel  had  remained  in  England 
during  the  lifetime  of  her  husband,  notwithstanding 
her  father's  wish  to  see  her  return  to  his  side.  The 
death  of  his  son-in-law  caused  one  of  the  dreaded 
attacks  of  insanity  to  poor  King  Charles  VI. ;  but  his 
uncles  were  anxious  to  profit  by  the  indignation  which 
was  manifested  at  Bordeaux,  the  birthplace  of  the 
deposed  monarch;  the  Dukes  of  Burgundy  and  Bour- 
bon advanced  towards  Guienne,  and  the  first  movement 
of  the  population  was  favorable  to  their  wish.  Rich- 
ard was  the  best  man  in  his  kingdom,"  it  was  said  at 
Bordeaux,  and  the  people  of  London  have  treacher- 
ously abandoned  him."  But  as  the  French  army 
advanced,  the  ardor  of  the  Gascons  abated.  The 
French  were  poor,  and  annoyed  by  subsidies  and  taxes, 
which  were  sometimes  reproduced  upon  two  or  three 
occasions  during  the  year.  We  are  not  accustomed 
to  be  treated  thus,"  said  the  English  subjects,  and  it 
would  be  too  hard  upon  us.  We  have  still  a  king,  and 
he  will  send  his  ministers  to  us  to  explain  himself. 
Meanwhile,  we  have  a  large  commerce  with  England, 
in  wine,  in  wool,  and  in  cloth."  The  uncles  of  the  king 
were  compelled  to  retire  without  having  accomplished 
anything.  Henry  IV.  was  in  no  hurry  to  renew  the 
war  with  France ;  he  caused  a  proposal  to  be  made  to 
marry  the  little  Queen  to  the  Prince  of  Wales ;  but  the 
father  and  the  daughter  rejected  this  alliance.  Charles 
VI.  claimed  with  Isabel  his  jewels  and  the  two  hundred 
thousand  livres  in  gold  which  King  Richard  had  re- 
ceived upon  her  dov/ry.  Henry  was  poor  and  the  sum 
considerable;  when  the  young  Queen  was  at  length 
consigned  to  her  family,  in  the  month  of  August,  1401,. 
the  ambassadors  of  England  replied  to  the  claims  of  the 
French  by  a  demand  for  a  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 


364 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.   [Chap.  XII. 


crowns  of  gold  which  remained  due  upon  the  ransom 
of  King  John  the  Good.  The  question  of  the  dowry 
of  Isabel  was  no  longer  mooted,  and  peace  subsisted 
between  the  two  countries  during  the  greater  part  of 
the  reign  of  Henry  IV.,  notwithstanding  the  challenges 
of  the  Duke  of  Orleans  and  Wallerand  of  Luxemboug, 
Count  of  Ligny  and  St.  Pol,  which  gave  rise  to  slight 
hostilities  upon  the  coasts.  Good  warrior  as  he  was, 
th«  King  of  England  had  too  much  to  do  at  home,  and 
too  much  trouble  to  consolidate  his  throne  to  seek  afar 
for  hazardous  adventures. 

At  the  very  outset  of  his  reign,  however,  and  on  the 
morrow  of  the  conspiracy  of  the  lords  appellant,  Henry 
had  attempted  an  expedition  into  Scotland.  Not  dar- 
ing to  ask  subsidies  of  the  Parliament,  the  king  had  had 
recourse  to  the  military  service  of  the  feudal  system, 
and,  convoking  under  his  banners  all  holders  of  fiefs, 
and  furnished  with  the  tithe  voted  by  the  clergy,  he  had 
advanced  as  far  as  Edinburgh,  to  summon  King  Robert, 
the  Duke  of  Rothsay,  his  son,  and  all  the  great  Scot- 
tish noblemen  to  come  and  render  homage  to  him. 
Robert  III.  was  aged,  feeble,  and  infirm  ;  he  had  aban- 
doned the  power  to  his  brother,  the  Duke  of  Albany, 
constantly  at  contention  with  the  heir  to  the  throne, 
the  Duke  of  Rothsay,  sanguine,  thoughtless,  and  ven- 
turesome. The  young  duke  hastened  to  Edinburgh,  to 
defend  it.  Henry  was  repulsed  ;  his  provisions  failed 
him :  he  was  compelled  to  withdraw^  from  Scotland, 
having  reaped  no  other  glory  in  this  campaign  than  the 
humanity  towards  the  peasants,  of  which  he  had  given 
proofs,  and  the  discipline  which  he  had  been  enabled  to 
maintain  in  his  army. 

While  the  King  of  England  was  fighting  and  suffering^ 
failure  in  Scotland,  an  unexpected  insurrection  broke 


Chap.  XII.]  BOLINGBROKE, 


365 


out  in  Wales.  A  lawyer,  who  had  afterwards  served  as 
esquire  in  the  house  of  the  Earl  of  Arundel,  a  Welsh- 
man,— descending,  it  was  said,  from  Llewellyn,  the  last 
Welsh  prince, — Owen  Glendower  or  Glendwyr,  had  seen 
his  little  estate  encroached  upon  through  the  avidity  of 
a  powerful  neighbor,  Lord  Grey  de  Ruthyn.  Owen 
had  appealed  to  the  Parliament ;  his  complaint  had 
been  rejected.  The  Welshman  resolved  to  avenge  him- 
self by  force  of  arms,  and  drove  from  his  lands  the  ser- 
vants of  Lord  Grey.  He  was  thereupon  outlawed. 
His  pretensions  grew  with  his  anger ;  it  was  no  longer 
a  question  of  a  little  field  or  of  a  cluster  of  trees  ;  Owen 
Glendwyr  publicly  proclaimed  his  illustrious  origin,  lay- 
ing claim  to  the  independent  sovereignty  of  Wales. 
Fire  smouldered  under  the  ashes  among  these  people, 
subjected  for  so  many  years;  the  love  of  national  liberty 
was  not  extinguished.  From  all  parts  the  Welsh  has- 
tened round  Owen  ;  students  quitted  their  universities, 
laborers  their  ploughshares,  at  the  call  of  independence. 
At  the  beginning  of  the  year  1401,  King  Henry  IV. 
found  himself  compelled  to  proceed  to  Wales  with  an 
army.  But  Owen  was  too  shrewd  to  hazard  a  pitched 
battle  ;  he  left  to  the  climate  and  to  famine  the  task  of 
fighting  for  him.  From  the  mountains  in  which  he  had 
taken  refuge,  he  soon  saw  King  Henry  compelled  to  re- 
tire. A  second  campaign,  attempted  in  1402,  was  not 
more  fortunate:  the  rain  fell  in  torrents;  the  rivers  be- 
came swollen  at  the  approach  of  the  English  soldiers, 
who  left  Wales  convinced  that  Glendwyr  was  a  sorcerer 
in  league  with  the  elements. 

The  rumor  that  King  Richard  was  still  living  had 
come  once  more  to  be  circulated  in  Scotland  and 
in  the  North  of  England,  restoring  a  certain 
amount    of   courage   to   the  malcontents.    In  vain 


366 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,    [Chap.  XII. 


had  King  Henry  severely  punished  the  fomenters  of 
this  news;  Richard  was  expected  with  the  Scottish 
army,  when  it  entered  into  England  in  the  spring  of 
1402.  At  the  head  of  the  English  opposition  was  a 
Scotchman,  George,  Earl  of  March.  The  Duke  of  Roth- 
say  was  to  have  married  his  daughter,  but  he  had 
rejected  her,  to  unite  himself  with  the  family  of  the 
Earl  of  Douglas,  the  hereditary  enemy  of  the  Earls  of 
March.  The  Earl  of  March  had  thereupon  renounced 
his  allegiance  to  the  King  of  Scotland,  and  had  allied 
himself  with  the  Percies,  all  powerful  in  the  county  of 
Northumberland.  It  was  with  his  assistance  that  the 
Scots  were  defeated  and  repulsed  at  Nesbit  Moor,  in 
June,  1402.  Internal  rancors  soon  brought  forward  a 
second  army;  the  Earl  of  Douglas,  furious  at  the  suc- 
cess of  his  rival,  solicited  the  assistance  of  the  Duke  of 
Albany,  end,  at  the  head  of  a  considerable  force,  he 
soon  overran  the  two  banks  of  Tyne.  Having  advanced 
as  far  as  Newcastle,  he  was  falling  back,  loaded  with 
booty,  when  the  Earls  of  Northumberland  and  March 
cut  off  his  road  on  the  14th  of  September.  The  Scots 
covered  Homildon  Hill,  and  the  English  were  stationed 
opposite  upon  another  elevation.  Hotspur  Percy  had 
already  commanded  the  charge  of  his  men-at-arms, 
when  the  Earl  of  March  restrained  him  by  the  arm. 

Let  your  archers  commence,"  he  said  ;"  the  turn  of 
your  horsemen  will  soon  come."  Arrows  rained  down 
upon  the  Scots  deployed  upon  the  flank  of  the  liill: 
Douglas  did  not  stir;  his  men  were  falling  in  their 
ranks,  when  a  Scottish  baron,  Fordun  Sw^inton,  at 
length  cried,  *'Ah!  my  brave  comrades,  who  restrains 
you  to-day,  that  you  should  remain  there,  like  deer  or 
stags,  to  allow  yourselves  to  be  killed,  instead  of  dis- 
playing your  former  valor  by  fighting  man  to  man  !  Let 


Chap.  XILl  BOLINGBROKR. 


us  descend  from  here  in  the  name  of  God  !  "  And  the 
Scottish  men-at-arms,  thereupon  moving,  caused  the 
English  archers  to  fall  back.  The  latter,  however,  con- 
tinued to  shoot,  and  Doughis  received  five  wounds  ;  he 
fell  from  his  horse,  and  was  made  a  prisoner.  Disorder 
set  in  in  the  Scottish  ranks  ;  the  flower  of  their  chivalry 
had  been  decimated  by  the  arrows  or  had  surrendered 
without  striking  a  blow. 

The  son  of  the  Duke  of  Albany,  Murdoch  Stewart, 
was  among  the  number  of  the  prisoners.  The  English 
knights  had  not  raised  their  lances  or  drawn  their 
swords  ;  the  battle  had  been  won  by  the  archers  of  old 
England,  The  Earl  of  Northumberland  arrived  on  the 
20th  of  October  at  the  Parliament  convoked  at  West- 
minister, gloriously  accompanied  by  all  his  prisoners. 

The  Percies  had  recently  gained  a  victory  for  King 
Henry  IV.,  whom  they  had  so  powerfully  assisted 
in  gaining  his  throne.  They  were  about  to  turn 
their  arms  against  him.  Shakspeare  attributes  their 
discontent  to  the  prohibition  which  the  king  put  upon 
their  setting  ransoms  upon  their  prisoners,  a  measure 
which  deprived  them  of  all  the  pecuniary  advantage  of 
the  capture ;  but  this  interdiction  had  been  frequent 
under  the  preceding  reigns,  particularly  under  Edward 
III.,  and  King  Henry  IV.  indemnified  the  Earl  of 
Northumberland  by  granting  vast  domains  to  him. 
Another  cause  for  anger  had  recently  sprung  up.  Dur- 
ing the  lucky  campaigns  of  Owen  Glendwyr  the  latter 
had  captured  his  old  enemy.  Lord  Grey  de  Ruthyn,  and 
Sir  Edmund  Mortimer,  uncle  of  the  young  Earl  of 
March,  the  legitimate  heir  to  the  throne.  The  relatives 
of  Lord  Grey  had  been  authorized  to  redeem  him  ;  but 
the  king  had  refused  the  same  favor  to  the  family  of 
Sir  Edmund.    Hotspur  Percy  had  married  his  sistei, 


j68 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.   [Chap.  XI L 


and,  acutely  wounded  by  this  refusal,  he  began  to  set  on 
foot  a  conspiracy  to  overthrow  the  king  and  place  the 
crown  upon  the  head  of  the  little  Earl  of  March.  He 
was  confirmed  in  this  resolution  by  the  Archbishop  of 
York,  Scrope,  brother  of  the  favorite  of  Richard  II.; 
and  the  conspirators  did  not  hesitate  to  call  Owen 
Glendwyr  to  their  aid.  He  gave  his  daughter  in  mar- 
riage to  Mortimer,  and  promised  to  invade  England  with 
twelve  thousand  Welshmen.  The  Earl  of  Douglas  was 
liberated  without  any  ransom,  on  condition  of  recross- 
ing  the  frontier  with  a  Scottish  army.  It  is  even  said 
that  Hotspur  wrote  to  the  Duke  of  Orleans,  from  whom 
King  Henry  had  recently  received  a  warlike  challenge 
on  account  of  the  insults  offered  to  Queen  Isabel. 

So  many  movements  had  not  escaped  the  vigilant 
eye  of  King  Henry.  Hotspur  was  marching  forward, 
commanding  the  rebels  in  place  of  his  father,  who  was 
ill ;  and  supported  by  his  uncle,  the  Earl  of  Worcester. 
Henry  planted  his  army  corps  between  the  earls  and 
Owen  Glendwyr,  with  whom  they  were  endeavoring  to 
effect  a  junction.  The  Welshman  had  made  no  haste, 
and  when,  on  arriving  at  Shrewsbury,  Henry  received 
the  challenge  of  his  enemies,  it  was  conceived  only  in 
the  name  of  the  Percies.  They  reproached  the  king 
with  his  usurpation,  the  death  of  Richard,  the  captivity 
of  the  little  Earl  of  March,  his  manoeuvres  in  the  elec- 
tion of  Parliament,  the  levying  of  taxes  which  had  not 
been  voted  by  the  Commons,  &c.  At  the  end  appeared 
the  real  subject  of  the  quarrel,  the  denial  of  the  nego- 
tiations relating  to  Sir  Edmund  Mortimer.  Henry  IV. 
smiled  bitterly  and  disdained  to  reply.  The  sword  shall 
decide,"  he  said,  and  I  am  assured  that  God  will  give 
me  victory  over  perjured  traitors.'*    It  was  on  the  20th 


Chap.  XII.]  BOLINGBROKE. 


369 


of  July,  1403;  on  the  morrow  the  two  armies  found 
themselves  face  to  face  on  Shrewsbury  Plain. 

The  insurgents  numbered  about  fourteen  thousand 
men  ;  the  king  had  no  more.  Before  fighting,  he  de- 
spatched the  Abbot  of  Shrewsbury  to  his  adversaries, 
with  proposals  for  peace.  Hotspur,  less  impetuous  than 
Shakespeare  has  depicted  him,  hesitated  :  but  the  Earl 
of  Worcester  persuaded  him  to  reject  the  royal  over- 
tures. "  Banners  to  the  front,  then  !"  cried  Henry. 
The  combat  began.  "  St.  George  !"  was  the  cry  around 
the  king.  Hope !  Percy!"  responded  the  rebels. 
The  archers  were  drawing  on  both  sides,  and  the 
knights  did  not  abandon  to  them,  as  at  Homildon  Hill, 
all  the  honor  of  the  combat.  Percy  and  Douglas,  rivals 
in  glory,  had  precipitated  themselves  together  into  the 
midst  of  the  enemy  with  a  small  following;  everything 
gave  way  before  them  ;  the  Prince  of  Wales  had  been 
wounded  in  the  face.  They  sought  for  the  king  ;  but, 
upon  the  advice  of  the  Scottish  refugee,  the  Earl  of 
March,  he  had  laid  aside,  for  that  day,  all  the  royal  in- 
signia, and  he  fought  valiantly,  without  having  been  rec- 
ognized. At  the  m.oment  when  the  two  chiefs  of  the 
insurgents  endeavored  to  retrace  their  steps,  opening  up 
a  way  through  the  crowd  of  the  enemies,  Percy  was 
struck  by  an  arrow  in  the  head,  and  fell  dead.  Disorder 
immediately  set  in  among  his  partisans.  Douglas  had 
been  made  a  prisoner  ;  the  Earl  of  Worcester  shortly 
afterwards  suffered  the  same  fate,  as  well  as  the  Lord  of 
Kinderton  and  Sir  Richard  Verr.on.  The  traitors*  pun- 
ishment awaited  the  three  Englishmen.  Douglas  was 
honorably  treated.  The  field  of  battle  was  covered  with 
dead  and  dying.  The  insurgents  had  fled  ;  they  went 
and  carried  to  the  old  Earl  of  Northumberland  the 
news  of  the  defeat  and  death  of  his  son.    He  was 


370  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.    [Chap.  XII. 


miirching  forward  to  join  him,  and  he  thereupon  shut 
himself  up  in  his  castle  at  Warkvvorth.  Being  suni- 
moned  to'  appear  before  the  king  at  York,  he  was  de- 
tained there  in  honorable  captivity  until  the  Parliament 
should  have  decided  upon  his  fate.  He  had  not  taken 
part  personally  in  the  insurrection,  and  he  declared  that 
his  son  had  acted  without  his  approval.  The  Lords 
treated  him  with  indulgence  ;  he  retired  after  having 
sworn  fidelity  to  the  king  and  the  Prince  of  Wales. 
Eighteen  months  had  not  elapsed  before  he  was  again 
in  arms  against  Henry. 

The  conspiracies  had  not  ceased  in  this  interval.  A 
former  chamberlain  of  King  Richard,  named  Serle,  had 
again  spread  the  rumor  that  th-at  monarch  was  living. 
He  led  about  with  him  a  poor  idiot  who  resembled  Rich- 
ard, and  a  certain  number  of  partisans  had  rallied  round 
him.  Three  princes  of  the  House  of  Bourbon  had  at- 
tacked the  islands  of  Jersey  and  Guernsey,  and  burnt 
down  the  town  of  Plymouth  ;  the  French  vessels  had 
brought  reinforcements  to  Owen  Glendwyr,  against 
whom  the  young  Prince  of  Wales  was  at  war  ;  and  a 
woman,  Lady  Le  Despencer,  had  carried  off  the  young 
Earl  of  March  and  his  brother.  She  was  already  ap- 
proaching the  frontiers  of  Wales  when  she  was  seized, 
and  the  prisoners  were  brought  back  to  Windsor.  She 
exculpated  herself  by  throwing  the  responsibility  of  the 
undertaking  upon  her  brother,  the  Duke  of  York,  for 
marly  Earl  of  Rutland.  He  was  arrested,  and  languished 
for  several  years  in  prison. 

King  Henry  had  always  avoided  asking  large  sub- 
sidies of  the  Parliament ;  he  was  not  sufficiently  assured 
of  the  affection  of  his  people  to  ask  any  sacrifices  of 
them.  In  1404,  however,  he  had  come  to  an  end  of  his 
resources,  and  in  a  Parliament  which  has  preserved  the 


Chap.  XII.] 


BOLINGBRGKE. 


371 


name  of  unlearned,  because  the  king  had,  it  was  said, 
dismissed  from  it  all  the  lawyers,  he  made^a  proposal 
which  was  ardently  sustained  by  the  Commons:  it  for- 
bade the  king  tc  alienate  the  property  of  the  crown 
without  the  auihoriza"  ion  oi  Parliament,  but  permitted 
him  to  take  back  ali  the  gifts  of  land  and  the  pensions 
granted  by  his  predecessors  ;  he  was  even  allowed  to 
seize  a  certain  portion  of  the  property  of  the  clergy. 
The  Church  uttered  a  cry  of  terror  and  rage,  which  ar- 
rested the  zeal  of  the  king  and  the  Commons.  Henry 
hastened  to  renounce  his  project,  assuring  the  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury  that  it  was  his  intention  to  leave 
the  Church  in  a  better  position  than  he  had  found  it  in  ; 
but  he  accomplished  his  resolutions  upon  the  lands  and 
pensions  given  by  Edward  III.  and  Richard  II.  The 
disaffection  of  the  barons  was  great,  and  the  uneasiness 
of  the  clergy  was  not  dispelled. 

In  1405,  two  great  councils  were  convoked  by  the 
Icing:  in  London  and  at  St.  Alban's.  There  the  bad 
state  of  feeling  was  manifested  ;  all  the  demands  of  the 
king  were  rejected,  and  more  than  one  baron  quitted 
St.  Albairs  to  join  the  insurgents,  who  were  again  be- 
ginning to  form  in  groups  round  the  Earl  of  Northum- 
berland. The  Archbishop  of  York  had  this  time  taken 
up  arms  ;  he  was  made  a  prisoner,  as  well  as  the  Earl 
of  Nottingham,  by  Prince  John,  the  second  son  of  the 
king.  In  vain  did  the  archbishop  claim  ecclesiastical 
jurisdiction,  and  the  earl  that  of  his  peers  ;  in  vain  did 
Chief  Justice  Gascoyne  refuse  to  preside  at  their  trial  : 
the  king  had  resolved  to  make  an  example.  He  found 
some  more  complaisant  magistrates;  the  archbishop 
and  the  Earl  of  Nottingham  v  ere  beheaded  ;  a  fine 
was  imposed  upon  the  city  of  York,  temporarily  de- 
prived  of  its  charters,  and  the  king  marched  againsr 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.    [Chap.  XIL 


Berwick,  where  the  Earl  of  Northumberland  had  taken 
refuge.  On  the  way  he  caused  Lord  Hastings  and  Lord 
Falconbridge  to  be  tried,  and  they  were  beheaded. 
Berwick  surrendered  ;  but  the  old  Percy  had  fled  to 
Edinburgh,  and  the  king  did  not  penetrate  into  Scot- 
land ;  he  contented  himself  with  ravaging  Northumber- 
land, taking  possession  of  all  the  castles  which  belonged 
to  the  rebels.  He  then  turned  his  arms  in  the  direction 
of  Wales,  where  Prince  Henry  had  valiantly  sustained 
the  sti-uggle  for  nearly  two  years.  He  had  triumphed 
over  the  Welsh  at  Grosmont,  in  Monmouthshire,  in  the 
month  of  March,  1405  ;  one  of  the  sons  of  Owen  Glend- 
wyr  had  been  made  a  prisoner,  and  the  prince  had  only 
been  arrested  in  the  course  of  his  successes  by  the 
arrival  of  a  French  reinforcement  sent  by  the  Duke  of 
Orleans,  in  defiance  of  the  truce  which  still  reigned  be- 
tween the  two  nations.  The  young  Prince  Henry  had 
been  compelled  to  withdraw  to  Worcester ;  but  the 
king  soon  drove  the  French  into  the  mountains  of  Wales, 
whither  he  pursued  them.  The  Welsh  arrested  his 
march  ;  but  the  French  were  weary  of  their  reverses,  of 
the  poverty  of  their  allies,  of  the  rough  life  which  they 
led;  they  retreated  into  their  vessels  again.  The  king 
withdrew  in  his  turn  ;  Prince  Henry  continued  the  war 
with  alternations  of  successes  and  reverses,  always  hold- 
ing his  ground  with  a  skill  and  perseverance  worthy  of 
his  adversary,  and  which  finally  wearied  the  population. 
Glendwyr  found  himself  gradually  abandoned,  and  an 
invasion  attempted  in  1409  by  his  son-in-law,  Scudamore, 
in  Shropshire,  completed  the  ruin  of  his  cause ;  the 
Welsh  were  repulsed,  and  the  chiefs  put  to  death.  The 
independent  character  of  Owen  Glendwyr  allowed  him 
neither  to  submit  not  to  despair ;  he  no  longer  appeared 
in  the  regions  occupied  by  the  English,  but  he  still 


Chap.  XII.]  BOLTNGBROKE. 


373 


maintained  himself  in  the  mountains,  resuming  his  arms 
when  his  enemies  pressed  him  closely  in  his  haunts  ;  his 
name,  published  several  times  in  the  amnesty  acts, 
proves  that  he  was  neither  dead  nor  subjugated,  even 
after  the  battle  of  Agincourt.  The  period  of  his  death 
and  the  place  of  his  burial  are  unknown  ;  the  end  of  his 
Hfe  remains  enveloped  in  mystery,  as  though  he  had 
really  possessed  the  magic  power  which  his  friends  and 
enemies  attributed  to  him  in  his  lifetime. 

King  Henry  had  not  been  under  the  necessity  of 
prosecuting  his  campaigns  in  Scotland;  he  held  in  his 
hands  the  heir  to  the  throne  of  that  kingdom.  The 
Duke  of  Rothsay,  imprudent  and  bold,  had  entered  into 
a  contention  with  his  uncle,  the  Duke  of  Albany. 
Being  accused  of  rebellion  and  imprisoned  in  Falkland 
Castle,  he  had  there  died  of  hunger,  it  was  said.  The 
unhappy  King  Robert  had  become  alarmed  for  the  life 
of  James,  the  only  son  who  remained  to  him,  and  he 
had  embarked  him  upon  a  ship  which  was  to  take  him 
to  France,  but  the  vessel  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
some  English  cruisers,  who  brought  the  prince  in  tri- 
umph to  King  Henry.  I  speak  French  as  well  as  my 
brother  Charles,"  the  king  had  said  laughingly,  ^'and  I 
am  as  well  adapted  as  he  to  bring  up  a  King  of  Scot- 
land." The  young  Prince  James  therefore  remained  at 
the  court  of  England,  closely  guarded,  but  educated 
with  care,  kindly  treated,  and  at  liberty  to  devote  him- 
self to  his  passion  for  poetry.  The  old  king  Robert  had 
died  of  grief  in  1406,  and  the  Duke  of  Albany,  who  con- 
tinued to  govern  Scotland,  servilely  submitted  to  the 
wishes  of  the  King  of  England,  who,  at  the  least  appear- 
ance of  insubordination,  threatened  him  with  the  release 
of  his  nephew.  This  state  of  affairs  was  destined  to  be 
prolonged  fol'  a  considerable  time. 


374 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.   [Chap.  XII. 


The  most  irreconcilable  adversary  of  the  king  had  at 
length  succumbed.  The  old  Earl  of  Northumberland, 
homeless,  childless,  and  without  riches,  had  wandered 
for  more  than  two  years  from  kingdom  to  kingdom, 
endeavoring  to  raise  up  embarrassments  and  enemies 
against  King  Henry.  At  the  beginning  of  1408,  i-c 
appeared  in  Northumberland  with  Lord  Bardolf,  tlie 
friend  and  companion  of  his  w!  ole  life.  Rallying  a  cer- 
tain number  of  his  old  vassals,  he  overran  the  country, 
took  possession  of  several  castles,  and  had  gathered 
together  a  small  body  of  troops,  when  he  was  defeated 
on  the  28th  of  February,  by  Sir  Thomas  Rokeby,  upon 
Branham  Heath,  near  Tadcaster.  He  was  killed  in  the 
combat ;  Lord  Bardolf,  grievously  wounded,  died  shortly 
afterwards,  and  their  bodies,  cut  in  pieces,  were  sent 
to  the  towns  of  Northumberland,  where  they  had 
found  adherents.    It  was  all  over  w^ith  the  Percies. 

The  commotions  in  France  continued  to  increase. 
The  poor  king,  Charles  VL,  would  pass  from  furious 
madness  to  docile  melancholy;  his  kingdom,  rent  asun- 
der by  factions,  was  the  scene  of  the  crimes,  debaucheries, 
and  exactions  of  all  parties.  The  Duke  of  Orleans  had 
recently  been  assassinated  in  the  Rue  Barbette  (23rd 
of  November,  1407),  by  the  servants  of  his  cousin,  the 
Duke  of  Burgundy,  a  circumstance  which  had  not  pre- 
vented the  latter  from  reappearing  at  court,  without 
fearing  the  punishment  of  the  king  for  the  death  of  his 
brother,  which  he  caused  to  be  publicly  justified  at  the 
Sorbonne,  by  Maitre  Jean  Petit,  doctor  in  theology. 
From  treason  to  treason,  from  reconciliation  to  recon- 
ciliation, the  Duke  of  Burgundy  was  all  powerful  in 
1409,  when  the  young  Duke  of  Orleans,  who  had  lost 
his  wife,  Isabel  of  France,  widow  of  King  Richard  II., 
was  married  for  a  second  time,  to  Bonne,  the  daughter 


Chap.  XIL]  BOLINGBRQKE, 


375 


of  the  wealthy  Count  of  Armagnac.  The  time  had  at 
length  arrived  for  prosecuti  ng  revenge :  supported  by 
the  experience  and  mihtary  talents  of  the  count,  the 
partisans  of  the  House  of  Orleans  assumed  the  name  of 
Armagnacs ;  the  red  scarf  was  put  on  by  the  Duke  of 
Berry,  the  Duke  of  Brittany,  and  the  Duke  of  Alencon  ; 
John  Sans  Peur  was  driven  from  Paris,  and  the  Duke  of 
Orleans,  sword  in  hand,  demanded  justice  for  the  death 
of  his  father. 

Then,  for  the  first  time,  amidst  the  factions  which  had 
desolated  France  for  ten  years,  England  was  called 
upon  to  play  a  part.  John  Sans  Peur  asked  assistance 
of  Henry  IV.  The  latter  sent  in  the  month  of  October, 
141 1,  a  small  body  of  a  thousand  archers  and  eight 
hundred  men-at-arms,  with  whom  the  duke  marched 
against  Paris,  He  re-entered  there  in  force  on  the  23rd, 
and  drove  out  the  Armagnacs,  who  had  already  begun 
to  make  themselves  detested.  John  Sans  Peur  followed 
up  his  advantages,  and  hoped  to  crush  his  enemies  ;  but 
they,  in  their  turn,  had  negotiated  with  the  King- 
of  England,  promising  to  recognize  him  as  Duke  of 
Aquitaine,  and  to  assure  to  him  after  the  death  of 
the  present  possessors,  the  counties  of  Poitou  and 
Angouleme.  As  the  price  of  these  concessions,  the 
English  army  was  preparing  to  invade  France,  under 
the  orders  of  the  third  son  of  the  king,  the  Duke  of 
Clarence,  when  the  Duke  of  Berry,  uncle  of  Charles 
VI.,  filled  with  horror  at  the  prospect  of  the  evils 
which  the  foreigners  were  about  to  bring  down  upon 
France,  once  more  interposed  between  the  belligerents, 
and  effected  one  of  those  reconciliations  which  prepared 
the  way  for  fresh  acts  of  perfidy.  The  Dukes  of  Or- 
leans and  Burgundy  entered  Paris  mounted  upon  the 
same  horse,  and  repaired  thus  to  church.    The  people 


376  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND.  [Chap.  Xll. 


cried  Noel/'  and  thanked  God  for  this  hope  of  peace. 
But  the  Duke  of  Clarence  had  landed  in  Normandy; 
the  news  of  the  pacification  had  been  powerless  to  ar- 
rest him.  Maine  and  Anjou  had  already  been  ravaged. 
The  Duke  of  Orleans  contrived  to  purchase  the  retreat 
of  the  allies  whom  he  himself  had  summoned;  the 
English,  laden  with  gold  and  booty,  took  the  road  to 
Guienne,  traversing  France  without  any  obstacle.  "  We 
will  return  hither,"  they  said  as  they  passed, to  fight  with 
our  King  Henry.''  Eight  thousand  Englishmen  em- 
barked at  Bordeaux  towards  the  close  of  the  year  1412. 

King  Henry  had  nearly  arrived  at  the  end  of  his 
career.  He  was  ill  and  sad.  His  throne  had  always 
appeared  to  him  to  be  tottering  ;  conspiracies  had  been 
so  often  repeated  around  him,  that  he  had  ended  by 
suspecting  them  where  they  did  not  exist.  A  keen 
jealousy  towards  his  eldest  son  troubled  him.  The 
Prince  of  Wales  had  given  proofs  of  rare  courage  ; 
when  yet  young,  he  had  been  wounded  at  the  battle  of 
Shrewsbury  ;  being  afterwards  despatched  by  his  father 
into  Wales,  he  had  there  constantly  held  in  check  Owen 
Glendw^yr,  over  whom  he  had  finally  triumphed.  It  is  re- 
lated— and,  in  his  admirable  tragedy  of  He7iry  IV., 
Shakespeare  made  use  of  these  accounts,  of  which  the 
authenticity  is  not  well  proved — that  the  young  prince, 
besides  his  budding  greatness,  had  given  other  causes 
for  anxiety  to  his  father;  it  is  said  that  his  debauches 
and  coarse  amusements  had  caused  alarm  for  the 
fate  of  the  State  which  he  was  one  day  to  govern,  so 
that  a  judge  before  whom  he  had  been  brought,  without 
knowing  him,  thought  it  his  duty  to  condemn  him  like 
a  simple  private  person.  Perliaps  the  jealousy  of  the 
father  and  the  restraint  which  he  claimed  to  impose 
upon  the  son,  to  whom  he  left  neither  power  nor  re- 


Chap.  XII.]  BOLINGBROKE, 


377 


sources,  had  contributed  to  plunge  a  sanguine,  energetic 
young  man,  full  of  life  and  strength,  into  those  excesses 
v/ith  which  he  was  reproached.  It  is  affirmed  that  the 
king  had  one  day  swooned,  in  consequence  of  one  of 
the  attacks  of  his  distemper  ;  he  was  believed  to  be 
dead.  The  Prince  of  Wales,  entering  the  apartment, 
had  carried  off  the  crown,  which  lay  upon  a  cushion. 
When  Henry  IV.  came  to  himself  again,  he  asked  for 
the  crown.  The  prince  was  sent  for.  You  have  no 
right  to  it,"  cried  the  king.  *^  You  know  that  your  father 
had  none."  Your  sword  gave  it  to  you,  sire,  and  my 
sword  w^ill  be  able  to  defend  it,"  replied  the  prince,  ex- 
onerating himself  as  well  as  he  could  against  the  sus- 
picions of  his  father.  He  demanded  the  punishment  of 
those  who  accused  him  of  prematurely  claiming  the 
throne,  and  the  king  referred  him  to  the  next  session  of 
the  Parliament.  He  was  weary  of  reigning  and  of  liv- 
ing. You  shall  do  as  you  please,"  he  said  ;  ^'  I  have 
done  with  al!  these  matters.  May  the  Lord  have  mercy 
upon  my  soul  !"  But  the  young  Prince  Henry  suffered 
in  mind  from  the  alienation  of  his  father;  he  presented 
himself  before  him  clad  in  a  blue  satin  robe,  covered 
with  button-holes,  a  tag  still  hanging  from  each  open- 
ing, and,  in  this  strange  costume,  he  threw  himself  at 
the  feet  of  the  king,  drew  a  dagger  from  his  bosom,  and 
begged  him  to  take  his  life  if  he  had  deprived  him  of  his 
favor.  The  father  and  son  became  reconciled,  it  is  said, 
after  this  scene. 

The  torments  of  jealousy,  added  to  the  troubles  of  his 
conscience  and  the  cares  of  power,  overwhelmed  the 
monarch.  He  Vv^as  not  yet  forty-seven  years  of  age,  and 
the  proud  Bolingbroke,  formerly  so  handsome,  so  bold, 
so  adventurous,  was  bowed  down  like  an  old  man.  He 
was  praying,  on  the  20th  of  March,  1413,  before  the 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND,    [Chap.  XII. 


shrine  of  Edward  the  Confessor,  in  Westminster  Abbey, 
when  he  fell  into  a  swoon.  He  was  carried  into  the 
apartment  of  the  abbot,  and  as  he  recovered  his  senses, 
he  asked  where  he  was.  "  In  the  Jerusalem  Chamber,'' 
was  the  reply;  for  such  was  the  name  of  the  chamber 
to  which  he  had  been  carried.  He  closed  his  eyes.  I 
was  always  told  that  I  should  die  at  Jerusalem,"  he  mut- 
tered, and  he  expired.  He  was  interred  in  Canterbury 
Cathedral,  beside  his  first  wife.  Lady  Mary  de  Bohun,  the 
mother  of  all  his  children.  His  second  wife.  Queen 
Joan  of  Navarre,  had  not  presented  any  to  him. 

Ambitious  and  inflexible,  harsh  towards  his  enemies, 
skilful  and  cunning  as  well  as  enterprising,  Henry  IV. 
had  always  contrived  to  treat  the  Parliament  with 
respect,  and  had  never  made  any  attempt  against  its 
authority.  The  House  of  Commons,  especially,  had 
seen  its  privileges  confirmed  under  his  reign,  and  its 
influence  had  been  constantly  growing.  Thus  the  lib- 
erties of  England,  formerly  conquered  by  the  barons  at 
the  price  of  so  much  bloodshed,  were  gradually  develop- 
ing, profiting  by  the  weakness  as  well  as  the  temerity  of 
the  sovereigns,  until  the  day  when  the  religious  reform 
was  to  raise  them  to  their  highest  pitch. 

Absorbed  in  the  internal  struggles  consequent  upon 
usurpation,  for  ever  dreading  real  or  supposed  con- 
spiracies, Henry  IV.  had  not  had  leisure  to  think  of 
foreign  wars.  The  wish,  however,  had  not  been  want- 
ing; he  had  everywhere  plunged  himself  into  the 
ir.trigues  and  divisions  which  desolated  France  under 
the  unhappy  Charles  VI.,  and  he  had  thus  prepared  the 
return  of  the  great  English  ambitions,  which  were  des- 
tined, for  awhile,  to  raise  so  high  the  glory  of  Henry  V., 
his  son,  at  the  price  of  so  much  bloodshed  and  so  many 
sorrows  for  the  two  nations. 


